Sussex Bird Club

Last Minute Class Details

Weather 2/22 (tomorrow) looks good. Coming from the north, cross over new bridge at Indian River and take first U-turn to go back north. Get off just before the bridge, and we will be at the parking lot by the SE side of the inlet. If you get lost, call 310-236-5675. Razorbills were still there Sunday.

Binoculars

My favorite Nikon rep, Paul Guris, has provided some excellent recommendations on bins, with excellent prices. I can not publish the prices, but I can give you his recs in the following price ranges:

$150 to $300:
Nikon Monarch ATB 8x42
Nikon Monarch ATB 8x36
$300 to $600
Monarch X 8.5x45

Class Summaries

Fall 2011

Nov 9 - Birders and Engineers would have loved today. Most of us got 4 passes over Indian River Inlet to admire the new bridge almost completed. As far as our goal to see new birds, we saw 14 new species, out of a total of 34 species seen today. Highlights were good looks at both Common and Red-throated Loons, Surf Scoter and Bufflehead, Long-tailed Ducks, Pied-billed Grebe, Northern Gannet, and Boat-tailed Grackle. Our class cumulative species total is now at 86.

Nov 2 - It was a beautiful day for November, as evidenced by the following birds actually singing: Carolina Wren, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, and Horned Lark. Many other birds were also very vocal calling, such as Northern Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, Clapper Rail and many more. Our top 2 birds seen today were Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow and Clapper Rail. Our total today was 35 species observed, bringing our 3 week class total to 72 species.

Oct 26 - We had a very productive field trip to Prime Hook NWR and saw first hand some of the beach loss and rising sea level issues at Fowler Beach. Our bird list for the day was 48 species, which brought our cumulative total to 63 species. Highlights were a flock of about a dozen American Avocets north of Prime Hook Road, 5 sparrow species, best of which was White-crowned, great views of several Northern Harriers, Black-crowned Hight Herons, Ruddy Ducks, and a good flock of close Snow Geese which included immatures and blue morphs, but no Ross's or Cackling Geese.

Oct 19 and Oct 21 - We reviewed Bill's Top 12 Birding Tips and an overview of migration on Oct 19. Our field trip was rescheduled to 10/21 due to heavy rain. 10/21 was a clear cool fall day at Cape Henlopen where we observed 33 species. These included lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers, a Pine Warbler, several Brown-Headed Nuthatches, 5 gull species including Lesser Black-backed. We concluded our field trip with 2 very close, sparring Merlins at Herring Point.

For a pdf of "Bill's Top 12 Birding Tips" click HERE. 

Spring 2011

The final Cumulative Check List through 5/25/11 in pdf format can be downloaded by clicking HERE. Our cumulative list of birds observed totaled 129 for the 6 classes.

Links to Birding Information

Bill's Top 12 Birding Tips as a pdf

Delaware bird song recordings by Michael Moore. This site contains easy to call up recordings of 76 species, including 16 species of wood warblers. It is an excellent learning and refresher tool. Please be sure to read all information on approved use of these recordings.

Marsh Wren singing, photo by Bill Fintel

About the Osher Lifelong Learning

This page contains information about the birding classes being offered at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at University of Delaware, formerly the Southern Delaware Academy of Life-long Learning (SDALL). If you are not familiar with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, you can learn more at their web site, and please note that many Sussex Bird Club members are also Osher students.

Winter-Spring 2012 Birding Class

We will spend as much time as possible birding in the field. On any day when the weather does not permit a field trip, the class will be cancelled. For the latest information on class status see the Osher Birding page, http://www.sussexbirdclub.com/osher, and look in the upper left corner under Last Minute Class Details. This section will be updated by 6 am on any field trip day with questionable weather. Also more detailed directions will be added as needed.

All classes will begin at 8:00 am at the meeting locations noted below. Be sure to bring binoculars. Also check the weather forecast and dress appropriately with a rain resistant windbreaker and footwear suitable for walking about one mile. Insect repellent, sunscreen, water and a snack are recommended. Classes will end by 11 am at the meeting location.

Feb 1 - Cape Henlopen State Park Nature Center  (sticker required). The winter specialty at Cape Henlopen is the Snow Bunting. Sea ducks should also be present in good numbers, and recently a couple of rare birds have been observed, specifically a Western Grebe and a Razorbill.

Feb 15 - Prime Hook NWR Headquarters. We will bird all types of habitats, such as woodlands, fields, marshes, impoundments and bay beaches. The potential for the first returning Osprey is good, and waterfowl should still be abundant.

Feb 22 - Indian River Inlet south ocean parking lot. Sea ducks and winter gulls will be our targets. We will also visit Burton’s Island, and possibly Fresh Pond.

Mar 21 - Cape Henlopen State Park Nature Center  (sticker required). Northbound raptor migration should have begun, and early spring migrants will be trickling in.

Apr 4 - Gordon’s Pond (access from Rehoboth Beach going north up coast) - This area hosts a small but productive maritime forrest, and excellent mud flats for shorebirds. We will take an easy walk to an elevated overlook of the pond.

Apr 18 - Ponder’s Tract - At this time of year many breeding migrants should back, singing in full song, and easier to spot because of few leaves on the trees. Ponder’s is on Rt. 16 about 4 miles west of Milton. It is a Nature Conservancy property.

May 9 - Thompson Island - This is a superb migrant trap in spring. We will meet at the home of Gerri Stephenson (try to carpool there and park in her driveway). From there it is a short walk. This week is generally the peak of spring migration, so try not to miss this field trip.

May 16 - Blair’s Pond near Abbott’s Mill, meet at the boat ramp parking lot for Blair’s Pond. Jason Beale from abbott’s Mill will lead us on a walk through this outstanding wooded area managed by the Delaware Nature Society.

May 23 - Mispillion Inlet, meet at Prime Hook for carpooling to Mispillion, OR meet at the beach-front parking lot at the end of Evans Drive, about 2 miles north of Slaughter Beach DE. This is our annual spring pilgrimage to witness Horseshoe Crabs spawning and the thousands of shorebirds that feed on their eggs. It is also the best time and place to see the endangered Red Knot. A favorite trip of ours!