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9 May Wood Sanpiper [Chris Starling ] 9 May RBA: Birdline Delaware, May 9th, 2008 [Andy Ednie ] 9 May Wood Sandpiper - Yes - 9:00 AM Friday [] 9 May Re: directions to Broadkill Beach Rd.? [Ed Sigda ] 8 May directions to Broadkill Beach Rd.? [Scott Baron ] 8 May Prime Hook [Lin Just ] 8 May Wood Sandpiper still present at last light [Ed Sigda ] 8 May Wood Sandpiper Seen at 5:20 pm today [Marcy Stutzman ] 8 May Big Day list - 5/8 [Forrest Rowland ] 8 May ALERT - DOS Bird-A-Thon Honorary Birdwalk at Mt. Cuba 5/9 [Bill Stewart ] 8 May Wood Sandpiper and Yellow Rail [Jay K ] 8 May Big Day - 5/7 No countable Wood Sandpiper, but quite a day nonetheless.. [Forrest Rowland ] 8 May Wood Sandpiper Still Being Seen at 3:15 PM [] 8 May Wood Sandpiper present at 1:30pm [Ed Sigda ] 8 May Glasses Lost at Wood Sandpiper Site [Bob Strahorn ] 8 May Bombay Hook NWR Bird Sightings: April 28 thru May 07, 2008 [tina watson ] 8 May Ashland this morning [joe sebastiani ] 8 May Bombay photos [Scott Michaud ] 8 May Pileated Woodpecker [Kevin Fleming ] 8 May Delaware Valley RBA, 7 May 2008 [Stephen E Kacir ] 8 May Wood Sandpiper in Present - 5/8 [] 7 May Spring Round Up - This Saturday [John Janowski ] 7 May Milford Neck, Woodshaven and Brandywine Creek Saturday to Tuesday [Chris Bennett ] 7 May Recent White winged tern sightings? [Ben Weinstein ] 7 May PHNWR Wood Sandpiper [Ed Sigda ] 7 May A few details on the Broadkill Beach Wood Sandpiper [Jeffrey Gordon ] 7 May Alapocas Woods walk results ["sally o'byrne" ] 7 May Alapocas Woods walk results [sally o'byrne ] 7 May Wood Sandpiper at Broadkill Beach [Maurice Barnhill ] 7 May Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch 05-07-08 1 Raptor, 1 Kite [Susan Gruver ] 7 May Ashland Bird-a-Thon walk [joe sebastiani ] 7 May Red-headed Woodpecker Correction ["samuelandcarol AT netzero.net" ] 7 May No Subject ["samuelandcarol AT netzero.net" ] 7 May Abbott's Mill Bird walk highlights [Jason Beale ] 7 May Sue Gruver reports American Swallow-tailed Kite over Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch [Jeffrey Gordon ] 7 May Bird-A-Thon Continues [Bill Stewart ] 6 May DNS Birders in Ohio!! A trip report.... [Forrest Rowland ] 5 May Wednesday Alapocas walk ["sally o'byrne" ] 5 May Wednesday Alapocas walk [sally o'byrne ] 5 May Re: Finch eye disease [Jill Constantine ] 5 May Yellow-breasted Chat Photos and Warblers List [JEFFERY DAVIS ] 5 May Finch eye disease [Kay Greene ] 5 May Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch 05-05-08 7 Raptors [Susan Gruver ] 5 May Brandywine Creek Migrants [Matthew Sarver ] 4 May Fallout at Brandywine Creek Today [Andy Ednie ] 4 May Saturday bayshore [Matthew Sarver ] 4 May Spring Roundup [Joe Sebastiani ] 4 May Red Knots at Bombay Hook [Hannah McLennan ] 3 May Prime Hook NWR neo-tropical migrants [Bill Fintel ] 3 May Swallow-tailed Kite at Trap Pond SP [] 3 May Bird-A-Thon Walk at White Clay, 5/3 [Derek Stoner ] 2 May Baltimore Orioles [Dawn Miller ] Subject: Wood Sanpiper From: Chris Starling <beltedkingfisherchris AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 12:53:42 -0400 The Broadkill Beach Wood Sandpiper was being seen in the south impoundment at the west end when I left the bird around 1030AM. There were a lot of people there when I left. It seemed like the majority of them had come over on the ferry from Cape May (this is world series weekend). I met a lady from Minnasota and saw license plates from all over the east coast! Does anyone know if there are other east coasts records of this species? -Chris Starling North East, MD _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live SkyDrive lets you share files with faraway friends. http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skydrive_052008 Subject: RBA: Birdline Delaware, May 9th, 2008 From: Andy Ednie <ednieap AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 10:46:56 -0400 RBA * Delaware * Statewide * May 9, 2008 * DEST0805.09 *Birds mentioned Greater White-fronted Goose Brant Black Scoter Surf Scoter Bufflehead Red-breasted Merganser Common Loon American Bittern Least Bittern Little Blue Heron Green Heron Yellow-crowned Night Heron Swallow-tailed Kite Northern Harrier Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Merlin Yellow Rail Black Rail King Rail Clapper Rail Virginia Rail Sora Common Moorhen American Golden Plover Semipalmated Plover Piping Plover American Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Wood Sandpiper Red Knot Pectoral Sandpiper Ruff Bonaparte's Gull Black Tern Black Skimmer Yellow-billed Cuckoo Black-billed Cuckoo Chucks-will-widow Common Nighthawk Barred Owl Belted Kingfisher Red-headed Woodpecker Willow Flycatcher Blue-headed Vireo Cliff Swallow Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Ruby-crowned Kinglet Sedge Wren Veery Swainson's Thrush Gray-cheeked Thrush Nashville Warbler Cape May Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Bay-breasted Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Pine Warbler Palm Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Black and White Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Northern Waterthrush Kentucky Warbler Wilson's Warbler Hooded Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Summer Tanager Blue Grosbeak Rose-breasted Grosbeak Savannah Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Bobolink Hotline: Birdline Delaware Date: May 9, 2008 Number: 302/658-2747 To Report: Andy Ednie 302-792-9591 (VOICE) Compiler: Andy Ednie (ednieap AT verizon.net) Coverage: Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, nearby Delaware Valley, Southern New Jersey, Maryland Transcriber: Andy Ednie (ednieap AT verizon.net) For, Friday, May 9th this is Birdline Delaware, from the Delaware Museum of Natural History in Greenville. The unofficial Delaware State Year List now stands at 285 species, up 25 birds from last week. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS were reported coming to feeders throughout the state. Two species still missing are CANADA WARBLER and BANK SWALLOW. A new bird to the Delaware State List was a WOOD SANDPIPER found at the impoundments at Broadkill Beach, part of Prime Hook NWR . Found by Sharon Lynn of Rehoboth Beach, that bird was seen for the last three days mostly on the south side by the second pullout. It has also been seen on the north side. This is the first East Coast record since the Rye, New York bird found by Tom Burke on October 31, 1990. Related to our Yellowlegs, in flight this Eurasian wader flies like a SPOTTED SANDPIPER. A RUFF was also reported at Broadkill Beach on Wednesday morning. To get to the Broadkill Beach impoundments to find the WOOD SANDPIPER, turn east at the light for the Rt 16 and Delaware Rt 1 intersection, east of Milton. The turn is marked by a sign for the Prime Hook NWR. From the turn to the refuge headquarters, go straight down the Broadkill Beach Road another 2.2 miles. Drive to the sharp left turn with the dirt road and yellow gate at Island Farms. Check the impoundments and marsh east of this sharp turn. Please sign in at the log book at the second pullout on the south side of the road.. Parking may be an issue; you may want to park at the gate to Island Farms and walk east along the edge of the impoundments. YELLOW and BLACK RAIL was also reported along the Broadkill Beach Road this week. Another BLACK RAIL was calling last Saturday morning at 1:30 am along the Pickering Beach Road. That bird was looked for again on Wednesday without success. VIRGINIA and CLAPPER RAIL were heard at Port Mahon, along with SEDGE WREN. There were two SWALLOW-TAILED KITES reported in the state this week. One was seen over Trap Pond State Park last weekend. The second was at the Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch on Tuesday. MERLIN, NORTHERN HARRIER, SHARP-SHINNED and COOPER'S HAWK were also reported this week. RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was reported at Redden State Forest, along State Forest Road 1.3 miles south of Wilson Hill Road, just north of Georgetown. There was no report of RED-HEADED WOODPECKER along Deep Branch Road, but SUMMER TANAGER was seen there. A good fallout of warblers and other passerines was reported at Prime Hook this week. 18 species of warbler on Saturday, including: NASHVILLE, MAGNOLIA, BLACKPOLL and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH. This week, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was seen along the Boardwalk Trail. Other birds reported included BLACKBURNIAN and WILSON'S WARBLER, and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW. BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was also seen in Milford this week, along with CAPE MAY, BLACKBURNIAN, and BLACKPOLL WARBLER. A WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH was also reported, a bird rare in Delaware below the piedmont. Abbott's Mill had HOODED and PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, BARRED OWL and BUFFLEHEAD. Johnson Branch had BLUE-HEADED VIREO, MAGNOLIA WARBLER and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH. 17 species of warbler were found along Big Stone Beach Road on Saturday, including BAY-BREASTED, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, WORM-EATING, MAGNOLIA, CHESTNUT-SIDED, and YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET and BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH was also reported. DuPont Nature Center at the Mispillion Inlet had 300 RED KNOTS, AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, and BLACK-NECKED STILT. TRICOLORED HERON, SEASIDE and SALT MARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROW were found along Lighthouse Road. PIPING PLOVER was also reported at Cape Henlopen State Park this week. Goatsuckers there included CHUCKS-WILL-WIDOW and COMMON NIGHTHAWK. DUCKS off the point included; SURF and BLACK SCOTER, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, and BRANT. AMERICAN BITTERN was found at Indian River Inlet. RED KNOTS continue to be seen at Bombay Hook along with AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, AMERICAN AVOCET, BLACK-NECKED STILT, and PECTORAL SANDPIPER. YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON continues to be seen at Bear Swamp, SAVANNAH SPARROW was seen along the dike at Raymond Pool, and PROTHONOTARY WARBLER was seen at Finis Pool. The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE was again seen this week behind Tony Florio's at Woodland Beach WMA. YELLOW-THROATED and PINE WARBLERS were found along the Pickering Beach Road at the powerline cut through the pine trees. There have been no further reports of the WHITE-WINGED TERN or LITTLE GULL at the Logan Tract this week. BONAPARTE'S GULL, BLACK TERN and BLACK SKIMMER were seen at the north pond this weekend. AMERICAN AVOCET was reported on the south side of the Logan Tract. BELTED KINGFISHER was also seen here on Sunday, sorry Forrest I had to throw that in! CERULEAN WARBLER was reported this week at White Clay Creek State Park. Two were singing along Creek Road, south of Hopkin's Bridge, before the little wooden bridge along Creek Road. WILSON'S MAGNOLIA, CHESTNUT-SIDED, BLACK-THROATED BLUE and GREEN, were also reported. WILLOW FLYCATCHER, VEERY, SWAINSON'S and GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH were reported along the creek on Wednesday. Brandywine Creek State Park had an impressive 23 species of warbler on Sunday. Reports included NASHVILLE, MAGNOLIA, CHESTNUT-SIDED, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, and GREEN, BLACKPOLL, PALM, WORM-EATING, HOODED, PROTHONOTARY, YELLOW-THROATED and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH. 5 species of VIREO were also found. YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was calling in the park this week, and a DARK-EYED JUNCO was at the Nature Center. The later bird is very rare in Delaware in May. 7 flyover COMMON LOONS were seen at Ashland Nature center on Thursday. PROTHONOTARY WARBLER was seen along Red Clay Creek south of the nature center. BLUE and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS were also reported. Birds reported at Lums Pond State Park included BLACK-THROATED BLUE, BLACK-AND-WHITE, and KENTUCKY WARBLER, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, plus LITTLE BLUE, and GREEN HERON BOBOLINKS were found at the Huguenot House off Rt 9 south of Odessa. CLIFF SWALLOWS continue to be seen at the Rt 9 Bridge. LEAST BITTERN COMMON MOORHEN, SORA, KING and VIRGINIA RAIL were all reported at Thousand Acre Marsh this week. And now for this week's special feature from 1450 WILM News Radio. You can hear Birdline Delaware on your radio on Wednesday at 5:55 and 8:55 am and again at 6:55 pm. Here now is this week's feature: As April warms into May, the spring migration reaches its peak. Spring warblers are arriving daily. Wave upon wave of migrate birds are arriving, after flying all night. Birds like the PRAIRIE WARBLER, (SFx) whose song is an ascending trill in perfect scales, are back in Delaware. To understand where these birds come from and when to look for them is to understand migration and weather patterns. Neotropical migrants nest in the arboreal forests of North America and winter in the neotropics. There are three different strategies for their spring migration: Trans-Caribbean migrants, like the BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER journey straight up the East Coast via the Florida peninsula after wintering in the Caribbean Islands. Others, like the NASHVILLE WARBLER circum-navigate the Gulf of Mexico from Central America. The most dangerous route is the Trans-gulf migration. From the Yucatan Peninsula, birds like the BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, flying non-stop, 500 miles to the Gulf Coast, arriving noontime at places like High Island, Texas or the Dry Tortugas Spring migration weather patterns are the exact opposite of those experienced in the fall. In the fall, watch for migrants after a cold front, as the northwest wind pushes birds eastward. Conversely, a southwest wind with an approaching cold front is better in the spring. A warm front that forms to the north, creates a cloud barrier that causes the birds to drop, creating a wave of migration. Doppler radar has demonstrated the decline of neotropical migrants. It also clues us in to when the next wave will hit. Birders have been accused of taping the Weather Channel to document migration. I've been listening to a MAGNOLIA WARBLER singing outside my window here in Claymont while typing this report. Special thanks to the Sharon Lynn, Bill Fintel, Steve Collins and Derek Stoner for their reports. To report sightings or add birds to this year's state year list call me at 302-792-9591 or email to ednieap AT verizon.net. Thanks for calling, until next time good birding. -end transcript. Subject: Wood Sandpiper - Yes - 9:00 AM Friday From: ROHRBAF AT AOL.COM Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 09:00:08 EDT Bruce Peterjohn called and reported that the Wood Sandpiper is present and feeding on the north side of the road at 9:00 AM in front of the white pole across from the pull offs on Broadkill Beach Road. Frank Rohrbacher Wilmington, Delaware **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) Subject: Re: directions to Broadkill Beach Rd.? From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 00:27:15 -0400 Please check out the following link for directions to Prime Hook: http://www.primehookbirding.com/directions.htm. Broadkill Road is Route 16. The location of the bird is 2.2 miles past the entrance road to the refuge headquarters. Ed Sigda Milton, DE www.primehookbirding.com Scott Baron wrote: > Hi, > > Can someone please provide directions to the Wood Sandpiper area? I'm not familiar w/ the Broadkill Beach area. > > Thanks very much, > > Scott Baron > Fairfax, Va. > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Be a better friend, newshound, and > know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ > > Subject: directions to Broadkill Beach Rd.? From: Scott Baron <brnpelican AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 20:18:43 -0700 Hi, Can someone please provide directions to the Wood Sandpiper area? I'm not familiar w/ the Broadkill Beach area. Thanks very much, Scott Baron Fairfax, Va. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Subject: Prime Hook From: Lin Just <crazy4wildbirds AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 21:31:56 -0400 My husband Jim and I enjoyed the afternoon of birding at Prime Hook, especially the famous WOOD SANDPIPER. Thanks to Derek Stoner and friends, we were able to obtain great looks at this bird. Thanks again Derek! After Derek's group departed, I was determined to see the bird in flight with his white rump pattern. He would make short flights but I would always seem to miss it when he did. After Jim decided to look at the sign up book to see if he recognized any names, the bird did take to flight, flew across the road and right in front of me! It was all it took for me to contain myself from shreaking to my husband but I kept quiet since I didn't want to scare the bird! What a thrilling experience! We left the bird foraging on the side of the road between both parking areas. After basking in this excitement, we decided to bird the headquarters area. We walked the boardwalk trail seeing BLUE GROSBEAK as a FOY bird. We then walked the Blue Goose Trail, seeing BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT and heard BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER. Good birding! Lin Just crazy4wildbirds AT yahoo.com Colora, Md Subject: Wood Sandpiper still present at last light From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 21:24:01 -0400 The Wood Sandpiper was still present along the north side of Broadkill Road at last light (8:30pm). Unlike last night when the bird stopped feeding around 7:30, tonight it continued to feed right up to the point when the light faded. The bird was feeding in a small area of water just in front of the north side pull out. Ed Sigda Milton, DE www.primehookbirding.com Subject: Wood Sandpiper Seen at 5:20 pm today From: Marcy Stutzman <marciastutzman AT NETSCAPE.NET> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 21:06:27 -0400 Jay Sheppard refound the Wood Sandpiper today at 5:20 p.m. It was very cooperative offering long looks. Several birders got the opportunity to see the bird. From the sign-in book, look across the road and slightly to the left. See the big white pole sticking up near the road. The sandpiper was in the marshy area in front of and to the right of the white pole. Marcy Stutzman Russett, MD marciastutzman AT netscape.net Subject: Big Day list - 5/8 From: Forrest Rowland <rowbird2005 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 19:52:39 -0500 Hello all, Here's the list from the Big Day Steve Collins and I conducted yesterday. I've highlighted some of the "Good" birds Red-throated Loon Common Loon Double-crested Cormorant Great Cormorant Least Bittern Great Blue Heron Great Egret Snowy Egret Little Blue Heron Cattle Egret Green Heron Black-crowned Night-Heron Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Glossy Ibis Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Greater White-fronted Goose Snow Goose Canada Goose Brant Wood Duck Gadwall American Black Duck Mallard Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Black Scoter Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck Osprey Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Sharp-shinned Hawk Cooper's Hawk Red-tailed Hawk American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Ring-necked Pheasant Wild Turkey Northern Bobwhite Clapper Rail King Rail Virginia Rail Sora Common Moorhen American Coot Black-bellied Plover American Golden-Plover Semipalmated Plover Piping Plover Killdeer American Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Greater Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs Solitary Sandpiper Willet Spotted Sandpiper Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Least Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper Dunlin Ruff Short-billed Dowitcher Common Snipe American Woodcock Laughing Gull Ring-billed Gull Herring Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Great Black-backed Gull Royal Tern Common Tern Forster's Tern Least Tern Black Skimmer Rock Dove Mourning Dove Yellow-billed Cuckoo Barn Owl Eastern Screech-Owl Great Horned Owl Barred Owl Chuck-will's-widow Whip-poor-will Chimney Swift Ruby-throated Hummingbird Red-headed Woodpecker Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Eastern Wood-Pewee Acadian Flycatcher Willow Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird White-eyed Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Warbling Vireo Philadelphia Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay American Crow Fish Crow Horned Lark Purple Martin Tree Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Cliff Swallow Barn Swallow Carolina Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Carolina Wren House Wren Sedge Wren Marsh Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Eastern Bluebird Veery Gray-cheeked Thrush Swainson's Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher European Starling Cedar Waxwing Blue-winged Warbler Nashville Warbler Northern Parula Yellow Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Magnolia Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Pine Warbler Prairie Warbler Palm Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Prothonotary Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Ovenbird Northern Waterthrush Louisiana Waterthrush Kentucky Warbler Common Yellowthroat Hooded Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Summer Tanager Scarlet Tanager Eastern Towhee Chipping Sparrow Field Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Grasshopper Sparrow Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow Seaside Sparrow Song Sparrow Swamp Sparrow White-throated Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grosbeak Blue Grosbeak Indigo Bunting Red-winged Blackbird Eastern Meadowlark Common Grackle Boat-tailed Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird Orchard Oriole Baltimore Oriole House Finch American Goldfinch House Sparrow --------------------------------- Yahoo! Deportes Beta ¡No te pierdas lo último sobre el torneo clausura 2008! Entérate aquí http://deportes.yahoo.com Subject: ALERT - DOS Bird-A-Thon Honorary Birdwalk at Mt. Cuba 5/9 From: Bill Stewart <hcf2 AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 20:28:45 -0400 To DOS Honorary Members, Fellows and Officers, Due to the potential of some nasty morning weather, I want to send out a few guidelines. If we are experiencing drenching downpours and/or thunderstorms, the walk will be cancelled. If we are experiencing showers and birdable weather, we will go for it. Either way, I will be at Mt. Cuba by 8:00 to assess the situation and make a determination and greet participants. If you would like to call and get an up to the minute status, please feel free to call me at 610 864 0370. Let's hope the weathermen are wrong.........again. Bill Stewart Subject: Wood Sandpiper and Yellow Rail From: Jay K <azure.jay AT earthlink.net> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 17:20:35 -0400 Hello DE-Birders, I heard about the Wood Sandpiper when most others did last evening, and was immediately dismayed realizing I couldn't do anything about it. I had a busy day scheduled in the office the next day (in Washington DC) and have plans to be out of town for the weekend. What's a NUT JOB birder to do? Well, it's to hop in the car at 2 AM after 2 hours of sleep and drive to Prime Hook to see the bird at first light. That's exactly what I did, and got into the office at a reasonable time and handled it all! I arrived at the refuge at just about 4:30 AM, and headed right for Broadkill Beach Rd. I was driving slowly with the windows down listening for night critters and had MARSH WREN, WILSON'S SNIPE, and a couple of others. As I drove farther, I heard the "song" of the BLACK RAIL so immediately found a small pulloff to listen for it again. This pulloff is actually just before the bridge that is just before the left-hand bend in the road near the area where the Sandpiper is being seen. This informal pulloff is marked with a "P" sign and is on the right as you head east. I sat here for perhaps 30 minutes overall (sunrise was still far off), and after about 15 minutes, I began to hear some odd, quiet sounds coming from the grasses quite close to the road that I did not recognize. After several minutes of this, the distinctive tic-tic tic-tic-tic of the YELLOW RAIL fired off a couple of phrases, confirming the identity of the creature making those unusual sounds. After this, ! it repeated the tics once and went back to the other sounds. Amazing! At this point the sky was starting to turn that deep blue-purple color, so I headed for the second pulloff after the bend. Here I sat in silence for a long while in my car until I could start to make out some shorebird shapes outside my window. At one point after it got lighter, I could clearly see that the two birds I was looking at were a LESSER YELLOWLEGS and a WOOD SANDPIPER. The two standing side-by-side made it remarkably easy to differentiate the Wood SP from the Lesser. After a while, two birders from NJ arrived (Frank and Frank - did not get their last name) and we immediately found the bird, this time it was alone. It was interesting how seeing the bird alone made it seem like a tougher ID. I squinted to make sure it was the bird but the thing that stands out is its foraging behavior as compared to a Yellowlegs, along with its supercilium and other features. After just a couple of minutes, the bird flew off, giving its high-pitched call and we could not locate it again before I had to depart back to DC. A truly memorable and fantastic trip, perhaps my last before I move away at the end of the month. I will certainly miss my regular visits to Delaware. Take Care, Jay Keller, Arlington, VA Subject: Big Day - 5/7 No countable Wood Sandpiper, but quite a day nonetheless.. From: Forrest Rowland <rowbird2005 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 15:30:09 -0500 Hello all, This is the preliminary short version. The long one will be days in the making, as I will be busy and traveling until early next week. To make a long story short: Steve Collins and I conducted our Bird-a-Thon Big Day Wednesday, May 7th. The forecast was good for the day, with good winds the evening before and sun. We didn't know what to expect. This may give you an idea of the way the day went overall: We arrived at White Clay Creek State Park at about 5:45p. At this point our target birds were dwindled to Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawk, Common Nighthawk, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Willow Flycatcher, Yellow-throated and Warbling Vireo, Gray-cheeked and Hermit Thrush, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, or Black-billed Cuckoo. By 6 pm we had Yellow-throated Vireo, Sharp-shinned Hawk, and Northern Rough-winged Swallow. We were practically jogging through the park to get to Hopkins Bridge, hoping that time wouldn't run out on us. We got to the open field hoping for Blue-winged Warbler. Instead we had a Warbling Vireo begin singing madly AND Rose-breasted Grosbeak trying to compete for air time. Thinking our luck had finally run out, on the awlk back to Hopkins Rd, a male Blue-winged Warbler sang not 20 feet away. We crossed the bridge on the pumphouse side. Willow Flycatcher singing on the far side. An adult Cooper's Hawk cruised right across the path at eye level just before an odd Thrush "jreet". We waited. Gray-cheeked Thrush was suspected, and confirmed when another began singing opposite the original bird!!!! We thought we were in the Truman Show. This MUST be a joke. Nobody could get this lucky!! Of course, we weren't lucky enough to break 200. At 8pm, after 18 hours of birding, we had tallied 199 species. It was an incredible day. More to come.... Forrest Rowland --------------------------------- Yahoo! Deportes Beta ¡No te pierdas lo último sobre el torneo clausura 2008! Entérate aquí http://deportes.yahoo.com Subject: Wood Sandpiper Still Being Seen at 3:15 PM From: ROHRBAF AT AOL.COM Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 15:15:32 EDT Derek Stoner called and said the Wood Sandpiper is on the north side of the road working a 20 yard pool between the first and second pull off at 3:15 PM. A logbook has been placed at the second pull off - please sign it if you look for the bird. Thanks Frank Rohrbacher Wilmington, Delaware **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) Subject: Wood Sandpiper present at 1:30pm From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 14:13:48 -0400 While I was there the bird was in the vicinity of the first pull out. I also heard reports that the bird had been on the north side of the road as well. There are also a few more shorebirds present today than yesterday. I have posted a few shots of the bird on my website. Please be very careful when out of your car as parking is going to be difficult and the traffic will be heavy as the weekend approaches. It's not unusual for cars to travel 60mph in this area. Ed Sigda Milton, DE www.primehookbirding.com Subject: Glasses Lost at Wood Sandpiper Site From: Bob Strahorn <bstrahor AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 13:59:51 -0400 I have a pair of glasses (silver metal frames, not bifocals) that were found this morning at one of the pull offs. They were lost prior to 11:00 am. If they are yours, or you think you know who they might belong to, contact me off list. Bob Strahorn bstrahor AT comcast.net 302-584-2065 Subject: Bombay Hook NWR Bird Sightings: April 28 thru May 07, 2008 From: tina watson <tinawatsonde AT yahoo.com> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 08:19:53 -0700 Bombay Hook NWR Spring Bird Count is Saturday, May 10, 2008. If you would like to help meet at the Visitor Center at 7:00am. Please record all your sightings on the clipboard in the lobby of the Restroom area. Thanks. > Here are the bird sightings for the week April 28 thru May > 07, 2008. > > American Bittern > Little Blue Heron > Black-crowned Night-Heron > Glossy Ibis > Green-winged Teal > Ruddy Duck > Osprey > Bald Eagle > Peregrine Falcon > Merlin > American Golden-Plover > Semipalmated Plover > Black-necked Stilt > American Avocet > Red Knot > Pectoral Sandpiper > Dunlin > Ruff > Little Gull > Hairy Woodpecker > Acadian Flycatcher > Great Crested Flycatcher > Eastern Kingbird > Sedge Wren > Ruby-crowned Kinglet > White-eyed Vireo > Yellow-throated Vireo > Red-eyed Vireo > Blue-winged Warbler > Hooded Warbler > Northern Parula > Yellow Warbler > Black-throated Blue Warbler > Black-throated Green Warbler > Yellow-rumped Warbler > American Redstart > Prothonotary Warbler > Black-and-white Warbler > Ovenbird > Northern Waterthrush > Common Yellowthroat > Blue Grosbeak > Indigo Bunting > Eastern Towhee > Savannah Sparrow > Baltimore Oriole ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Subject: Ashland this morning From: joe sebastiani <joe AT DELAWARENATURESOCIETY.ORG> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 10:47:17 -0400 Forrest Rowland led an excellent walk this morning at Ashland. Highlights include: * 7 flyover Common Loon * Blue-winged Warbler * Black-and-white Warbler * Prairie Warbler * Blue-winged Warbler * Blackpoll Warbler * Yellow Warbler * Ovenbird * Common Yellowthroat * Blue Grosbeak * Rose-breasted Grosbeak (female) Immediately after the walk, a Prothonotary Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Chestnut-sided Warbler were along Red Clay Creek below the nature center. Joe Sebastiani Members Program Team Leader Delaware Nature Society P.O. Box 700 Hockessin, DE 19707 (302) 239-2334 ext. 115 fax (302) 239-2473 joe AT delawarenaturesociety.org Subject: Bombay photos From: Scott Michaud <mazhude AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 09:35:29 -0400 I birded Bombay Hook NWR on Monday. Put up the pictures last night. I have some shots of warblers, ibis, and fox cubs. 44 bird day. Enjoy! http://www.flickr.com/photos/mazhude/ List: Great Blue Heron Great Egret Robin Cardinal Barn Swallow Tree Swallow Goldfinch Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Starling Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Laughing Gull Black-bellied Plover Black-necked Stilt Ring-billed Gull Eastern Kingbird Swamp Sparrow Catbird Common Yellowthroat Yellowrump Palm Warbler Yellow Warbler Magnolia Warbler Great-crested Flycatcher Eastern Towhee Bluejay Northern Flicker Dunlin Semi-palmated Plover Solitary Sandpiper House Wren Lesser Yellowlegs Avocet Bald Eagle Savannah Sparrow Red Knot Killdeer Mallard Glossy Ibis Snowy Egret Brown-headed Cowbird Eastern Bluebird Red-bellied Woodpecker -- Scott Michaud Riviera Beach, MD _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live SkyDrive lets you share files with faraway friends. http://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skydrive_052008 Subject: Pileated Woodpecker From: Kevin Fleming <kfleming AT DMV.COM> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 07:52:27 -0400 Hello All, Yesterday I photographed (for the first time in my life) a Pileated Woodpecker near Ashland Nature Center. Here's what's new on www.WildDelaware.com Canada goose goslings at Winterthur raccoons and foxes Ring-billed Gull with a striped cask eel crab megalopae Tree Swallows baby Black Vultures (very cool) Short-billed Dowitchers American Oystercatcher Willet Bobwhite Quail Black-necked Stilt And much more! Thanks for looking, Kevin Fleming Subject: Delaware Valley RBA, 7 May 2008 From: Stephen E Kacir <rba AT DVOC.ORG> Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 04:28:51 -0700 - RBA * PA, NJ, DE * Delaware Valley: Southeast PA, Central/Southern NJ & DE * PADV0805.08 * May 8, 2008 - Birds Mentioned Clark's Grebe ++ Anhinga ++ Swallow-tailed Kite + Swallow-tailed Kite +++ Mississippi Kite ++ Yellow Rail + Wood Sandpiper +++ Eurasian Collared-dove + Fork-tailed Flycatcher + Loggerhead Shrike + Loggerhead Shrike ++ + (Details requested by NJBRC) ++ (Details requested by PORC) +++ (Details requested by DERC) Common Loon Great Cormorant American Bittern Least Bittern Tricolored Heron Cattle Egret Yellow-crowned Night-heron Common Eider Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Common Goldeneye Red-breasted Merganser Broad-winged Hawk Merlin Ruffed Grouse Northern Bobwhite Black Rail King Rail Virginia Rail American Golden-plover Semipalmated Plover Piping Plover Black-necked Stilt Whimbrel Marbled Godwit Red Knot White-rumped Sandpiper Wilson's Phalarope Parasitic Jaeger Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Caspian Tern Roseate Tern Black Tern Black-billed Cuckoo Barred Owl Long-eared Owl Chuck-will's-widow Whip-poor-will Red-headed Woodpecker Olive-sided Flycatcher Acadian Flycatcher White-eyed Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo Bank Swallow Cliff Swallow Red-breasted Nuthatch Gray-cheeked Thrush Swainson's Thrush Golden-winged Warbler Tennessee Warbler Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Sutton's Warbler Cape May Warbler Blackburnian Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Prairie Warbler Bay-breasted Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Cerulean Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Worm-eating Warbler Kentucky Warbler Hooded Warbler Wilson's Warbler Canada Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat Summer Tanager Vesper Sparrow Grasshopper Sparrow Lincoln's Sparrow Blue Grosbeak Bobolink Purple Finch Pine Siskin - Transcript Hotline: Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert Email reports to: rba AT dvoc.org Compilers: Steve Kacir and Tony Croasdale -- Delaware Valley Ornithological Club Phone: (215) 240-7547 URL: http://www.dvoc.org/RBA/Current/Active/Index.htm Welcome to the Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert, a service provided by the joint efforts of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (DVOC), covering the Delaware Valley Region of Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I'm Steve Kacir your guide for birding in the Greater Philadelphia Region. For May 7, 2008 we highlight reports of WOOD SANDPIPER in Sussex County, DE; a possible CLARK'S GREBE in Berks County, PA; ANHINGAS in Chester County, PA; SWALLOW-TAILED KITES in Monmouth, NJ and Sussex County, DE; MISSISSIPPI KITE in Lehigh County, PA; YELLOW RAIL in Cumberland County, NJ; EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE in Cumberland County, NJ; possible FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER in Monmouth County, NJ; LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES in Monmouth County, NJ and Bucks County, PA. Remember to check out our website for additional content and information: http://www.dvoc.org/RBA/Current/Active/Index.htm FOR NEW JERSEY: Cape May County: A RUFF was at The Nature Conservancy's Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge on May 7, and a Reeve (female RUFF) was there on May 5. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at the refuge on May 6. PIPING PLOVERS were on the beach at Cape May Point State Park and the Cape May Migratory Bird Refuge. A ROSEATE TERN was at the St Peter's Jetty on May 4, and up to 3 COMMON EIDERS were seen in the Cape May Point area through May 7. The rips off Cape May Point have attracted PARASITIC JAEGERS through the week. Highlights from Higbee Beach WMA this week included BLUE GROSBEAKS and NASHVILLE WARBLER. The Rea Farm had BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER and BLUE GROSBEAKS. The Villas WMA hosted PINE SISKIN and PROTHONOTARY WARBLER; the Villas WMA RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS were noted through May 4. A BOBOLINK was at the Woodcock Trail of Cape May NWR on May 4. This week's highlights from Belleplain State Forest included SUMMER TANAGERS, ACADIAN FLYCATCHER, PROTHONOTARY, KENTUCKY, WORM-EATING and HOODED WARBLERS. CATTLE EGRETS were at the Eastern Shore Nursing Home and the Cape May County Park and Zoo on May 4. A CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOW called from Reeds Beach Rd on May 4. Jake's Landing had a calling YELLOW RAIL on May 1, and BLACK RAILS on May 4. A KING RAIL, VIRGINIA RAILS and LEAST BITTERNS were at Cedar Swamp Creek on May 5. Nummy's Island had a WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, WHIMBREL and RED KNOT on May 4, while the Hereford Inlet area hosted SURF SCOTER and TRICOLORED HERON. Nearly 300 WHIMBREL were at Nummy's Island on May 7. A MARBLED GODWIT was at Two Mile Landing that day, while RED KNOTS were at the Two Mile Beach Unit of Cape May NWR. Cumberland County: On May 4, WHIP-POOR-WILL and VIRGINIA RAILS called from Turkey Point Wildlife Area at the Glades Wildlife Refuge. That day, a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER was at the Robinstown Rd area. On May 2, a SUMMER TANAGER and WORM-EATING WARBLER were at the Paynter's Crossing/Railroad Ave area. A EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE was found along Valatia Ave in Millville on May 4. Atlantic County: Edwin B Forsythe NWR's Brigantine Division had a GLAUCOUS GULL in the marsh north of the dike just before leaving the dike at Jen's Trail on May 3. Other sightings from the refuge that day included MARBLED GODWIT and 53 WHIMBREL. A BLUE GROSBEAK appeared in Port Republic on May 4. Monmouth County: A probable FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER was near the Sandy Hook Coast Guard Base on May 6. That day, a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE and a WILSON'S PHALAROPE were found near Fisherman's Trail, and the PHALAROPE was seen again on May 7. Sandy Hook boasted ROSEATE TERNS through May 7. The ROSEATES were reported from the bay across from the Sandy Hook Bird Observatory, the sandbar north of Plum Island, North Beach, and the False Hook area on May 3. Other notable sightings from Sandy Hook this week included 8 AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVERS, BLACK TERN, AMERICAN BITTERN, YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON, BANK SWALLOWS, LINCOLN'S SPARROW, CAPE MAY WARBLER and YELLOW-THROATED VIREO. Sandy Hook had 17 species of warbler on May 4, including YELLOW- THROATED, BAY-BREASTED and WORM-EATING WARBLERS. The Sandy Hook Migration Watch had a high count of 58 MERLINS on May 4. A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE flew by the Migration Watch on May 2. A BARRED OWL called from the Rusty Barn area on May 1. On May 3, Sandy Hook's False Hook area at the end of Fisherman's Trail had PIPING PLOVERS. On May 4, a BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER was at Natco Lake. That day, Allaire State Park had YELLOW-THROATED VIREO; CAPE MAY, CANADA and HOODED WARBLERS. Burlington County: This week, Palmyra Cove Nature Park had COMMON GOLDENEYE and at least 16 species of warbler including WILSON'S, WORM-EATING, HOODED and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS. That day, there were BLUE GROSBEAKS at the Chatsworth section of Franklin Parker Preserve. The Hawkins Rd area had PROTHONOTARY, HOODED and WORM-EATING WARBLERS. A LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL was at Riversedge Park on May 3. Brightview Farm had BOBOLINKS, GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS and SUMMER TANAGER on May 6. Salem County: On May 4, BOBOLINKS were at Featherbed Lane and CATTLE EGRETS were at Compromise Rd. Gloucester County: A CASPIAN TERN was at the High Hill Rd Marsh area on May 1, and Raccoon Island had 2 GREAT CORMORANTS that day. A NORTHERN BOBWHITE was at Riverwinds on May 3. Glassboro Woods WMA had HOODED, WORM-EATING, KENTUCKY and PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS. Camden County: A WORM-EATING WARBLER and YELLOW-THROATED VIREO were at the Stafford Trails in Vorhees Twp on May 4. A BOBOLINK was at the Stafford Farm in Vorhees on May 5. KENTUCKY WARBLERS were at Winslow WMA on May 1. Mercer County: Baldpate Mountain had eBird reports of OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER and KENTUCKY WARBLER on May 2. A HOODED WARBLER was at Princeton Institute Woods on May 7. Somerset County: Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve had BLUE GROSBEAKS, VESPER SPARROWS and GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS on May 5. Hunterdon County: On May 3, Spruce Run Reservoir had nearly 50 COMMON LOONS, PURPLE FINCHES, SUMMER TANAGER and 15 species of warbler including TENNESSEE and GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLERS. Warren County: Old Mine Rd had 20 species of warblers on May 4, including CERULEAN, CANADA, HOODED and WORM-EATING WARBLERS. A BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER was near Merril Creek Reservoir on May 4. FOR DELAWARE: New Castle County: This week, Brandywine Creek State Park had YELLOW-THROATED VIREO and 23 species of warbler including WORM-EATING, KENTUCKY, HOODED and BLACKPOLL WARBLERS. On May 3, White Clay Creek State Park hosted YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, ACADIAN FLYCATCHER and 13 species of warbler including WILSON'S WARBLER. On May 1, the Meadows Tract of Blackbird State Forest had HOODED and KENTUCKY WARBLERS. Alapocas Woods Park had SWAINSON'S THRUSH on May 7. A KING RAIL called from Grier's Pond on May 4. Kent County: On May 4, Bombay Hook NWR had 35-50 RED KNOTS at Shearness Pool. Other highlights from Bombay Hook that day included BLUE GROSBEAKS and BLACK-NECKED STILTS. Killens Pond State Park had a SUMMER TANAGER on May 5. Sussex County: A WOOD SANDPIPER was found at the Broadkill Impoundments of Prime Hook NWR on May 5, and was still present in the area on May 8. The WOOD SANDPIPER was found on the right side of the impoundment, and was observed from the second pull-out after the nearly ninety degree turn at the gated Island Farm Rd. On May 4, Prime Hook NWR had 18 species of warbler including YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT; WORM- EATING, PROTHONOTARY, HOODED and BLACKPOLL WARBLERS. Trap Pond State Park had a SWALLOW-TAILED KITE on May 3, and another SWALLOW-TAILED KITE was seen from the Cape Henlopen State Park Hawk Watch on May 7. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was found on State Forest Rd, a mile north of Seashore Highway in the Redden State Forest Area. The RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was seen as recently as May 7, when it was 1.8 miles south of Deer Forest Rd. The DuPont Nature Center had RED KNOTS and a TRICOLORED HERON on May 4. On May 7, Abbott's Mill Nature Center had ACADIAN FLYCATCHER, BLUE GROSBEAK, HOODED and PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS. On May 4, Milford Neck WA had BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO and PROTHONOTARY WARBLER. FOR PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia County: On May 3, John Heinz NWR at Tinicum had YELLOW-THROATED VIREO, WHITE-EYED VIREO and 17 species of warbler including YELLOW- BREASTED CHAT. The next day, the refuge had a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and 15 species of warbler. The University of Pennsylvania's Biopond hosted NASHVILLE WARBLER on May 5. A BAY- BREASTED WARBLER was found along the Wissahickon Creek near Valley Green Inn in Chestnut Hill on May 3. That day a WILSON'S WARBLER and WORM-EATING WARBLER were banded at Fairmount Park, and a few BOBOLINKS were at the hay fields along Spring Lane. Delaware County: Two ANHINGAS soared over Struble Lake on May 4. That day Hibernia Park also hosted a LONG-EARED OWL, YELLOW-THROATED VIREO and PURPLE FINCH. A May 4 walk along Crum Creek at Scott's Arboretum at Swarthmore College provided SWAINSON'S THRUSH, SUMMER TANAGER, TENNESSEE and HOODED WARBLER. Chester County: At the private Bucktoe Creek Preserve in Chester County, there were 15 BOBOLINKS on May 5. A BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO was in a yard near White Clay Creek on May 3. This week, White Clay Creek Preserve had PURPLE FINCHES and at least 15 species of warbler including BAY-BREASTED and HOODED WARBLERS. PINE SISKINS appeared on private property on May 7. Montgomery County: A BAY-BREASTED WARBLER was found in Audubon on May 4. On May 3, the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove had a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO. On May 3, Green Lane Reservoir had 6 COMMON LOONS, and 3 DUNLIN were at the Church Rd area. This week, Fort Washington State Park hosted GRAY-CHEEKED and SWAINSON'S THRUSH and at least 17 species of warbler including GOLDEN-WINGED, CERULEAN, YELLOW- THROATED, WORM-EATING and WILSON'S WARBLERS. A BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER was at Huntingdon Valley on May 1. Mill Creek Preserve had WORM-EATING WARBLER and YELLOW-THROATED VIREO on May 5. Bucks County: On May 5, a LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE was seen from a dirt path near the Callowhill Rd bridge over the Perkiomen Creek. A May 2 walk along the Perkiomen Trail in Perkasie revealed 14 species of warbler. An ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was at Hidden Lake off of Route 532 near Newtown on May 2. Seventeen species of warbler were noted at Peace Valley Park through May 3, including WORM-EATING and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER. Silver Lake Park had RUSTY BLACKBIRD and 10 species of warbler on May 3. This week Churchville Nature Center had PURPLE FINCH and HOODED WARBLER. Nockamixon State Park had YELLOW- THROATED VIREO, BLACKBURNIAN and TENNESSEE WARBLERS on May 3. That day, SGL-157 had PURPLE FINCH; RED-HEADED WOODPECKER; HOODED, BLACKBURNIAN and WORM-EATING WARBLERS. On May 5, Core Creek Park had a CLIFF SWALLOW. Northampton County: On May 4, Moore Twp sightings included KENTUCKY WARBLER, GRASSHOPPER and VESPER SPARROWS. Green Pond had LESSER BLACK- BACKED GULLS through May 3, with a high count of 107 LESSER BLACK- BACKS on May 3. This week Jacobsburg State Park hosted WHITE-EYED VIREO, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO and 16 warbler species including BLACKBURNIAN and HOODED WARBLERS. A LINCOLN'S SPARROW was at Jacobsburg State Park on May 5, and five more were there on May 7. Lehigh County: On May 3, Purchase Park had 7 species of warbler. A MISSISSIPPI KITE was seen from Treichlers Bridge near Laury's Station on May 7, and a CERULEAN and several WORM-EATING WARBLERS were in that area. Schuylkill County: On May 2, the Tumbling Run Watershed had 16 species of warbler including HOODED and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS. A CLIFF SWALLOW was at Hidden Valley on May 4. Sweet Arrow Lake had HOODED WARBLER on May 2. Berks County: A possible CLARK'S GREBE and a COMMON LOON were on Blue Marsh Lake on May 7. CERULEAN and WORM-EATING WARBLERS were at Hay Creek on May 3. That day, SGL-110 had RUFFED GROUSE and 13 species of warbler including WORM-EATING and HOODED WARBLERS. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary had migrating BROAD-WINGED HAWKS and MERLINS. Lancaster County: On May 4, the Conejohela Flats had RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, 4 SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS, PROTHONOTARY WARBLER; FORSTER'S, CASPIAN and BLACK TERNS. Five DUNLIN were at the Flats on May 2. On May 3, Holtwood Ash Basin #2 had PRAIRIE WARBLER, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT and WHITE-EYED VIREO. Three BLUE GROSBEAKS were at Lancaster County Central Park on May 2, along with 14 species of warbler including YELLOW-THROATED and BLACKBURNIAN WARBLERS. Safe Harbor Park that day hosted 3 CERULEAN WARBLERS, and a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT was at Observation Site Rd. Northern Lancaster County Park's Pumping Station Rd had GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER and YELLOW-THROATED VIREO on May 7. Lebanon County: On May 3, the power line area along Pinch Rd revealed 20 species of warbler; including CERULEAN, BAY-BREASTED, KENTUCKY, PROTHONOTARY, HOODED and WORM-EATING WARBLERS. *** ANNOUNCEMENTS *** Due to scheduling and internet access issues, there will be no Delaware Valley RBA for the week of May 19, 2008. We will resume a regular schedule for the week of May 26, 2008. On May 9-11, Colin Campbell will lead a DVOC field trip, Birding Southern Delaware into Maryland. If you would like to attend this field trip, contact Colin Campbell in advance. A flyer with additional information will be made available to participants. The DVOC website also has information about this trip, including contact information for the trip leader and reports from past trips: http://www.dvoc.org On 12, Sandra Keller will lead a DVOC field trip exploring Gloucester County, NJ. The trip will meet at will meet at 7:00AM at Glassboro Woods WMA on Carpenter - the west (Rt. 47) end; pull into the parking area by the gate. Please contact Sandra Keller if you plan on attending. Additional information, including contact information for the trip leader is on the DVOC website: http://www.dvoc.org The next meeting of the DVOC is on Thursday May 15 at 7:30pm at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, when Debi Shearwater will present "Penguins of the World." In lieu of an Ornithological Study that evening, the Nikon DVOC Lagerhead Shrikes will present their World Series of Birding report. The meeting after that will be on June 5, featuring Frank Windfelder's "My Philly Big Year in 2007." Details are on the website, and guests are always welcome. Spring Migration is in full swing. For a bird's eye view of the phenomenon and some birding forecasts, check out David La Puma's Woodcreeper.com website at http://www.woodcreeper.com Or read his forecasts at http://birdcapemay.org/bfma The second Delaware Breeding Bird Atlas kicks off this year. Please consider taking part in this massive citizen science project to study the map the distribution of birds breeding in Delaware and compare the data with that gathered by the first Delaware Breeding Bird Atlas from 20 years ago. For more information contact the DE BBA Coordinator, Anthony Gonzon at Anthony.Gonzon AT state.de.us or call (302)653-2880. More information is available at the DE BBA Website: http://www.fw.delaware.gov/BBA The Delaware Valley Rare Bird Alert is a weekly report on birding in the Delaware Valley Region including Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. To report birds or significant birding events and planned pelagic trips, please email rba AT dvoc.org. This is Steve Kacir, good birding to you all and thanks for calling, surfing and reporting. - End Transcript Steve Kacir rba AT dvoc.org DVOC Rare Bird Alert Committee Chair Academy of Natural Sciences Delaware Valley Ornithological Club Philadelphia Subject: Wood Sandpiper in Present - 5/8 From: ROHRBAF AT AOL.COM Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 06:50:23 EDT I received a report from Jay Keller that the Wood Sandpiper is foraging actively at the same place as yesterday on Broadkill Beach Road at first light today Thursday May 8. Frank Rohrbacher Wilmington, Delaware. **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) Subject: Spring Round Up - This Saturday From: John Janowski <jsbirders AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 21:55:29 -0400 Can birding in Delaware get any more exciting than this! May is certainly living up to its reputation of International Migratory Month. Not only are we blessed with our returning neotropics but the report today of a Wood Sandpiper at Broadkill makes two Eurasian species in as many weeks. This sets the stage for what could be a record Spring Roundup this Saturday, May 10. We could set a record for most species seen in a Roundup and maybe add some exciting new birds to the cumulative list. The Swallow-tailed Kite might just stick around. The Roundup is a great way to participate in the DOS Bird-A-Thon and even get some of your surveys underway for the Breeding Bird Atlas. All birders are needed for this event and if your compiler hasn't contacted you yet, don't be shy about participating. Here are the compilers and the areas they cover: If you need a Spring Roundup count list, I'll be glad to e-mail you one. Area 1: New Castle County south to the C&D Canal, Mike Smith michael.a.smith AT villanova.edu Area 2: C&D Canal south to the Leipsic River in Kent County, John Janowski jsbirders AT verizon.net Area 3: Kent County south of the Leipsic River to the Sussex County Line, Joe Sabastiani bunker AT kennett.net Area 5: Sussex County south Lewes, Frank Rohrbacher, rohrbaf AT aol.com Area 6: Lewes to the Indian River Inlet, Glen Lovelace, glen.lovelace AT state.de.us Area 7: Indian River Inlet south to the Maryland Line, Bob Rufe rrufe1 AT aol.com Thank you and enjoy this great season of birding in Delaware. John Janowski Port Penn, DE Subject: Milford Neck, Woodshaven and Brandywine Creek Saturday to Tuesday From: Chris Bennett <cb2564 AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 21:52:44 -0400 I apologize of the tardiness of this report – but I’m going with better late than never.  As Matt mentioned shortly after the fact – I led a fieldtrip to Milford Neck and the Dupont Nature Center for the Sussex Bird Club on Saturday.  We had a great turn out in participants as well as birds.  It was cool and foggy for most of the day with the sun finally burning off the fog after noon as we stood on the deck at the Dupont Center and watched a spectacular shorebird show.  As Matt mentioned in his post Saturday, we had one nice mixed songbird flock which contained Red-eyed Vireo, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, chickadees and titmice and the following warblers – Northern Parula, Yellow, Chestnut-sided (4), Magnolia, Black-throated Blue (3-4), Yellow-rumped (~10), Black-throated Green (2-3), Bay-breasted, Black and White, American Redstart and Worm-eating.  We also had Kentucky, Pine, Common Yellowthroat and Yellow-breasted Chat during the day – bringing our warbler total for the day to 17.   The other highlights on Milford Neck included Brown-headed Nuthatch along Big Stone Beach Road, a Merlin flying over the beach at Big Stone Beach and a pair of Killdeer with fluffy chicks – in one of my Atlas blocks!   On the way out to the Dupont Center we had a bunch of Seaside Sparrows and a single distant Sharp-tailed Sparrow in the marsh along Lighthouse Road.  We also had a single Tricolored Heron perched on the top of a tree on the opposite side of Cedar Creek.  The real show, though, was in the Harbor.  There were thousands of Dunlin and 100 – 300 Red Knots along with lesser numbers of Short-billed Dowitchers, Sanderlings, Ruddy Turnstones and Semipalmated Sandpipers.  Also seen were a American Oystercatcher, Black-necked Stilt and Clapper Rail.  A great day of birding was enjoyed by all.  The final total for the day was 88 species.   On Sunday the good birding continued.  While walking the dog around the neighborhood in the morning Karen and I had Yellow (bathing in our front yard water feature) Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Northern Parula, Blackburnian, Blackpoll and Cape May Warblers, Scarlet Tanager, Baltimore and rchard Oriole and Veery.  We made a quick run out to Milford Neck to do an hour or so of Atlasing and confirmed Eastern Bluebird nesting in an old woodpecker cavity in a short snag and added both Orioles, Prothonotary Warbler, White-breasted Nuthatch and Black-billed Cuckoo to great list we racked up on Saturday.   I worked in the field at Brandywine Creek on Monday and Tuesday in Tulip Tree Woods.  While pulling Garlic Mustard I was serenaded by Black-throated Green and Black-throated Blue Warblers, Scarlet Tanager and Yellow-billed Cuckoo on Tuesday. During lunch on Tuesday a pair of Red-tailed Hawks engaged in a courtship flight above the woodlot near the Amphitheater.  I also had a singing Eastern Meadowlark and a male American Kestrel in the meadows and a single Dark-eyed Junco in the gardens in front of the Nature Center on Tuesday.   The complete list for Saturday’s trip is below.   CANADA GOOSE MALLARD DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT GREAT BLUE HERON SNOWY EGRET TRICOLORED HERON GLOSSY IBIS BLACK VULTURE TURKEY VULTURE OSPREY NORTHERN HARRIER MERLIN CLAPPER RAIL BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER SEMIPALMATED PLOVER KILLDEER AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER BLACK-NECKED STILT GREATER YELLOWLEGS WILLET RUDDY TURNSTONE RED KNOT SANDERLING SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER LEAST SANDPIPER DUNLIN SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER LAUGHING GULL RING-BILLED GULL HERRING GULL GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL FORSTER'S TERN ROCK DOVE MOURNING DOVE RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER DOWNY WOODPECKER PILEATED WOODPECKER GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER WHITE-EYED VIREO RED-EYED VIREO BLUE JAY AMERICAN CROW PURPLE MARTIN TREE SWALLOW BARN SWALLOW CAROLINA CHICKADEE TUFTED TITMOUSE BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH CAROLINA WREN HOUSE WREN RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER AMERICAN ROBIN GRAY CATBIRD NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD BROWN THRASHER EUROPEN STARLING CEDAR WAXWING EUROPEAN STARLING NORTHERN PARULA YELLOW WARBLER CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER MAGNOLIA WARBLER BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER PINE WARBLER PRAIRIE WARBLER BAY-BREASTED WARBLER BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER AMERICAN REDSTART WORM-EATING WARBLER OVENBIRD KENTUCKY WARBLER COMMON YELLOWTHROAT YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT SCARLET TANAGER EASTERN TOWHEE CHIPPING SPARROW FIELD SPARROW SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROW SEASIDE SPARROW SONG SPARROW SWAMP SPARROW WHITE-THROATED SPARROW NORTHERN CARDINAL BLUE GROSBEAK INDIGO BUNTING RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD COMMON GRACKLE BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD HOUSE FINCH AMERICAN GOLDFINCH   Chris Bennett Milford, DE Subject: Recent White winged tern sightings? From: Ben Weinstein <bweinstein AT SYSSRC.COM> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 21:40:07 -0400 Hello DE birders Like many people, i will be trying for the wood sandpiper on friday, however i'd like to also try for the ted harvey white winged tern. The last report i've seen is for May 2nd at North Pond, is this correct? In the past has this species hung around? Thanks Ben Weinstein Reisterstown MD Subject: PHNWR Wood Sandpiper From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 21:15:25 -0400 Congrats again to Sharon Lynn for following up on her unknown bird from Monday. And special thanks to all of my friends with cell phones that called me while I was at work in my PA office. The Wood Sandpiper was my 300th species for Prime Hook NWR. I hope to post some photos on my website later this evening. I watched the bird from 6:00pm to 7:58pm when it flew off to the south hopefully just for the evening. As Jeff mention in his mail the bird has been staying on the south side of the road up close to the road. While I observed the bird in covered about three quarters of the shoreline, with the second pullout being the center point. The bird was very skittish if you tried to walk towards it. My best advice would be to cross over to the other side of the road to get in front of it and then wait for it to walk right up to you. Also keep your ears open as the bird calls frequently when it is is flight. Beyond a few peeps the only other birds present were a Lesser Yellowlegs and a Solitary Sandpiper. Please be very careful when out of your car as parking is going to be difficult and the traffic will be heavy as the weekend approaches. It's not unusual for cars to travel 60mph in this area. For all visiting birders the entrance road to headquarters area for Prime Hook is about 2 miles back towards route 1 and has some excellent habitat for migrant land birds. Ed Sigda Milton, DE www.primehookbirding.com Subject: A few details on the Broadkill Beach Wood Sandpiper From: Jeffrey Gordon <jeffgyr AT MAC.COM> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 18:43:38 -0400 Hello, DE-BIRDers & others-- Congratulations to Sharon Lynn on her amazing find of a Wood Sandpiper at Broadkill Beach Impoundment in Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, east of Milton, Delaware. I've posted a photo set about it on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffgyr/sets/72157604940005597/ Click any photo to view it larger size. A couple of details about this bird.... Finding & observing it: It's hanging out on the near shore, quite close to the right (south) shoulder of Rt 16, about 0.3 miles beyond the "big bend" where the gated Island Farm Road continues straight. It's the second pulloff on the right, as you head east towards the bay. The distance to the spot is about a hair more than 3.3 miles from the intersection of Rt 1 & Rt 16. There is a small green and white "Important Bird Area" sign on the right that is just about a perfect marker for the spot, though it does range up and down the shore a few hundred feet, especially in the direction of the bay. There are only a few shorebirds in the area--some Leasts, a Lesser Yellowlegs, and the Wood Sandpiper. Here's a Google Map of the exact spot: http://snipurl.com/27rzk Backstory: It was found Monday, May 5 by Sharon Lynn, who knew it was odd, but couldn't quite decide what it was. Sharon forwarded me excellent photos which I received this morning, and which I admit I at first passed off as an odd yellowlegs, but on second viewing strongly suspected Wood Sandpiper. Liz & I immediately dashed out to Broadkill and were able to re-find and confirm the bird. Observing it: It is tolerant of people within limits. It will flush before you even leave the road if you pursue it, so please be very careful about your movements. I did not flush it, by the way, but several passing vehicles did at times, and it was obvious from the bird's behavior when I approached it that it would have flushed had I pressed it at all. Be very careful of traffic, both blocking it and getting hit by it. We all want this to be a positive event for everyone in the local community, both birders and non-birders. Things to watch for: Dumpy shape compared to Lesser Yellowlegs, with wings less projecting at rear. Capped appearance, with dark crown and prominent eyestripe. Dull straw legs. Two tone bill with greenish-straw base, thicker than Lesser Yellowlegs. High thin call, somewhat like Lesser Yellowlegs, but more like Solitary Sandpiper. Moves like Solitary Sandpiper; bounces when alert and on landing. White rump with strong black bands near end of tail. Gray wing linings. Documentation: Obviously, the more the better. But be aware that the bird has already been photographed, videotaped, and sound recorded, so there is not a *pressing* need to get close to it for more. The main priority is to make sure it stays as long as it cares to and is enjoyed safely by all those who come to see it. It would be an excellent subject for digiscoping, though, which can be done at longer distances. Light is best in the afternoon. Good birding, Jeff Jeff Jeffrey Gordon Lewes, DE jeffgyr AT mac.com Home page: www.jeffreyagordon.com Subject: Alapocas Woods walk results From: "sally o'byrne" <salobyrne AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 17:39:56 -0400 7 May - Alapocas DOS walk - 8 participants This was not a big warbler fall-out day - many birds that seemed common on Monday weren't around today, but even so it was a lovely morning to walk and discover the beauty of Alapocas. We had 6 species of warbler and 3 thrush, including a Swainson's. Some of the group heard a Red-breasted grosbeak, which others of us saw as the last bird of the morning. I had my FOY E. Wood-Peewee and Acadian Flycatcher. For many it was their FOY Great crested flycatcher. This is my BBA area, so the group kindly helped look for evidence of breeding birds. We found 2 Baltimore oriole nests being built, 1 orchard oriole carrying nesting material, a cardinal nest with two eggs, a blue grey gnat nest, and several nests with unknown occupants. 47 species altogether. Sally O'Byrne Complete list: Turkey Vulture Canada Goose Mallard Greater Yellowlegs Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Cuckoo sp. (heard) Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Eastern Wood-Peewee Acadian Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay Tree Swallow Rough-winged Swallow Carolina Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Carolina Wren House Wren Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher Swainson's Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird European Starling Northern Parula Yellow Warbler Chestnut Sided Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Ovenbird Common Yellowthroat Scarlet Tanager Song Sparrow Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grossbeak Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Brown headed Cowbird Orchard Oriole Baltimore Oriole American Goldfinch Subject: Alapocas Woods walk results From: sally o'byrne <salobyrne AT gmail.com> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 17:39:56 -0400 7 May - Alapocas DOS walk - 8 participants This was not a big warbler fall-out day - many birds that seemed common on Monday weren't around today, but even so it was a lovely morning to walk and discover the beauty of Alapocas. We had 6 species of warbler and 3 thrush, including a Swainson's. Some of the group heard a Red-breasted grosbeak, which others of us saw as the last bird of the morning. I had my FOY E. Wood-Peewee and Acadian Flycatcher. For many it was their FOY Great crested flycatcher. This is my BBA area, so the group kindly helped look for evidence of breeding birds. We found 2 Baltimore oriole nests being built, 1 orchard oriole carrying nesting material, a cardinal nest with two eggs, a blue grey gnat nest, and several nests with unknown occupants. 47 species altogether. Sally O'Byrne Complete list: Turkey Vulture Canada Goose Mallard Greater Yellowlegs Rock Pigeon Mourning Dove Cuckoo sp. (heard) Red-bellied Woodpecker Downy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Eastern Wood-Peewee Acadian Flycatcher Eastern Phoebe Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Warbling Vireo Red-eyed Vireo Blue Jay Tree Swallow Rough-winged Swallow Carolina Chickadee Tufted Titmouse Carolina Wren House Wren Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher Swainson's Thrush Wood Thrush American Robin Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird European Starling Northern Parula Yellow Warbler Chestnut Sided Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler Ovenbird Common Yellowthroat Scarlet Tanager Song Sparrow Northern Cardinal Rose-breasted Grossbeak Red-winged Blackbird Common Grackle Brown headed Cowbird Orchard Oriole Baltimore Oriole American Goldfinch Subject: Wood Sandpiper at Broadkill Beach From: Maurice Barnhill <mvb AT UDEL.EDU> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 16:17:33 -0400 Jeff Gordon just called me (4:13) and said he is currently looking at a Wood Sandpiper found and photographed by Sharon Lynn. Jeff just saw the photographs today, identified the bird, and went to Broadkill to see if it was there. It is at the second pullout on the right along the near shore. There is a small green "Important Bird Area" sign in the vicinity. The bird is a bit skittish. Please be carefull so that others will have a chance to see the bird. -- Maurice Barnhill mvb AT udel.edu [Use ReplyTo, not From] [bellatlantic.net is reserved for spam only] Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Delaware Newark, DE 19716 Subject: Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch 05-07-08 1 Raptor, 1 Kite From: Susan Gruver <Srgruver AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 16:03:15 EDT Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch Delaware, USA Daily Raptor Counts: May 07, 2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 28 Osprey 0 0 37 Bald Eagle 0 0 4 Northern Harrier 0 2 21 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 17 100 Cooper's Hawk 1 2 36 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 11 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 0 3 184 Merlin 0 4 229 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 2 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 12 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 5 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 2 26 Total: 1 30 695 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 09:30:00 Observation end time: 11:30:00 Total observation time: 2 hours Official Counter: Susan Gruver Observers: Weather: wind from the West force 1 the first hour, then East,temp 21-24,clcv 40-30%,visb 10-18k Raptor Observations: Non-raptor Observations: ONE BEAUTIFUL ADULT SWALLOW-TAILED KITE first spotted around the radar tower, then proceeded low and slow near the Hawk Watch platform, circled around several times, then slowly went off in the direction of the ferry terminal Predictions: 60% chance of showers, high 74 SW 20-30 ======================================================================== Report submitted by Sue Gruver (srgruver AT aol.com **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) Subject: Ashland Bird-a-Thon walk From: joe sebastiani <joe AT DELAWARENATURESOCIETY.ORG> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 15:02:17 -0400 This is a reminder that Forrest Rowland is leading a Bird-a-Thon walk at Ashland Nature Center tomorrow (Thursday) starting at 7:30 a.m. The normal weekly walk at 8:00 a.m. is being changed for tomorrow to begin at the earlier time. All are invited. Joe Sebastiani Members Program Team Leader Delaware Nature Society P.O. Box 700 Hockessin, DE 19707 (302) 239-2334 ext. 115 fax (302) 239-2473 joe AT delawarenaturesociety.org Subject: Red-headed Woodpecker Correction From: "samuelandcarol AT netzero.net" <samuelandcarol@NETZERO.NET> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 17:55:06 GMT Correction: Red-headed Woodpecker was on WEST side of State Forest Rd, 1.3 mi. SOUTH of Wilson Hill Rd (1.8 mi. South of Deer Forest Road. Sam and Carol Harris Subject: No Subject From: "samuelandcarol AT netzero.net" <samuelandcarol@NETZERO.NET> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 17:49:05 GMT Red-headed Woodpecker seen on State Forest Road, 1.3 mi. south of Wilson Hill Red (1.8 mi. south of Deer Forest Road). Bird was in woods on east side of road. Field opposite had been logged in past, with some standing dead trees remaining. Sam and Carol Harris. Subject: Abbott's Mill Bird walk highlights From: Jason Beale <jaybirdbeale AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 12:00:39 -0400 Hello, Here are the highlights for our weekly bird walk at Abbott's Mill Nature Center at the pond and in the woods behind the center. Bufflehead (female) Hooded Warbler - singing near observation tower Barred owls - 2 disputing something Acadian Flycatcher Great-crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird Tree Swallows - defending nest site Barn Swallows - 5 eggs House Wren Carolina Wren fledglings Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Easten bluebird feeding 4 fledglings Wood Thrush Gray Catbird Cedar Waxings - flock of about 10 Northern Parula - a few song variations Yellow-rumped Warbler Prothonotary Warbler - great views along Johnson's Branch Ovenbird Blue Grosbeaks - several in different areas Indigo Buntings Orchard Oriole - singing immature male Baltimore Oriole Other sightings from Johnson's Branch sites this week: Red-breasted Nuthatch - last seen on monday Northern Harrier (female) flyover Blue-headed Vireo Scarlet Tanagers Black-and-white Warbler Magnolia Warbler Yellow Warbler Pileated Woodpecker Jason Beale Abbott's Mill Nature Center Milford, DE Subject: Sue Gruver reports American Swallow-tailed Kite over Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch From: Jeffrey Gordon <jeffgyr AT MAC.COM> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 11:02:37 -0400 Hi all-- A banner year for American Swallow-tailed Kites in Delaware, apparently. A very excited Sue Gruver just (10:50 am Wednesday) called to say that a kite had just gone over the Henlopen hawk watch. Eyes up, everybody! Jeff Jeffrey Gordon jeffgyr AT mac.com Subject: Bird-A-Thon Continues From: Bill Stewart <hcf2 AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 10:19:51 -0400 Good Morning, At the halfway point of this year's DOS Bird-A-Thon, many participants are reporting great birds and some great times in the field! This weekend's weather looks favorable for the Spring Roundup and conclusion of the 'Thon' so we should be seeing quite a number of birder's having fun for two great conservation causes. Below are the remaining Bird-A-Thon scheduled walks, both of which should be packed full of migrants and expertly led. Remember, these walks are open to all, both Bird-A-Thon participants and non-participants. DOS Bird-A-Thon Birdwalks (open to all, good way to kick start your efforts and add additional species) Thursday May 8th Ashland Nature Center 7:30 to 10AM w/ Forrest Rowland Saturday May 10th Prime Hook NWR Nature Center 8 to 11AM w/ Bill Fintel & Sharon Lynn PayPal AT WWW.DOSBIRDS.ORG/bird-a-thon In an effort to help those individuals who are unable to join us in the field but would like to contribute to preserving shorebird habitat and migratory raptor research in Delaware, we have added a safe and secure PayPal link on our website. Best of luck to all and I hope to see you over the next few days! Bill Stewart DOS Conservation Chair Subject: DNS Birders in Ohio!! A trip report.... From: Forrest Rowland <rowbird2005 AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Tue, 6 May 2008 16:05:52 -0500 Hello all, Forrest Rowland supplying some extremely extralimital reports. Not of birds, but birders found out of their normal range. The recent trip to the South Shores of Lake Erie undertaken by Bob and Pat Strahorn, Allison Ellicott, Ginny Schiavelli, Jim Lewis, Carol Majors, and myself, was a first for us all. Though most of us had driven through the state or at least heard of a Buckeye, none of us had spent any substantial amount of time birding there. Some people might even think, "Ohio huh. Ummm....yeah right." With recent press, some reliable second hand accounts, and no less than Bernie Masters as our local guide, we decided to take on the task of experiencing Ohio's birds at their best. We took on Crane Creek State Park and the Toledo Grasslands. Our first day was spent mostly in the car talking over a variety of subjects, some applicable to our destination and some to pass the 8 hour drive. We took a few lengthy stops for walking, eating, and refueling. We arrived at Magee Marsh/Crane Creek State Park at 5p. The trip took eleven hours. Let me set the stage... When relying solely on migratory birds, a guide must be optimistic while trying to suppress the obvious fear of seeing nothing at all. Hit or miss just doesn't quite get it. Sure, there are always birds everywhere we go, right? But we were birding THE best place for Neotropical migrants in the United States..statistically proven. I checked the weather religiously for a week. It predicted severe thunderstorms and an 80% chance of precipitation the entire weekend. I was more than a little worried. With NW winds keeping the birds south, the weather channel was my bane for 6 of 7 days. But on the 7th day it happened. A change!! Winds were suddenly predicted out of the South, Showers and T-storms turned to just T-storms, and the temperature was expected to a bit warmer than previously predicted. The forecast was perfect for a huge migratory push. All of a sudden, weather channel was my best friend. The habitat at Crane Creek is a simple wooded lot (mostly 20-35ft trees and lots of open scrub and vines) with an open understory and lots of freshwater catches accessed by a lengthy, elevated, boardwalk. The surrounding habitat is Marsh, and Lake Erie, hence the birds' undeniable urge to forage there before the leap North. Our first afternoon there was only slightly telling of the weekend to come. We saw around 15 species of warblers..all very close, in the open, pretty much at eye level...plenty of Thrushes, RC Kinglets, and it was great. We all enjoyed nice looks at many good migrants. We decided that if the rest of the weekend was a miss, it would've been worth it. After a nice meal, we hit the hay. By the time Bernie pulled into the parking lot at 7:45a the next morning to meet us, we had already tallied 10 warbler species. We had just gotten out of the car. That set the pace. For the rest of the trip, it was new bird after new bird. We had enthralled the masses in the near vicinity and drew crowds on several occasions with our sightings. We spotted 6 FOY species by the end of the weekend there, and were but 8 of hundreds of people. It was AWESOME!!! The total migrant tally for the weekend came to 5 species of Thrush, 5 species of Vireo, and 28 species of Warbler, among others. All species were seen extremely well at no more 20 feet, nearly all being at or below eye level at some point. We had Swainson's Thrush 8 feet away, perching for minutes at a time. We watched GC Thrush forage in the open at 25 feet for 3-4 minutes. Allison Ellicott had an American Redstart literally within arm's reach. I had a Black-and-White Warbler try to land on me. Hand rail birds included YRumped and Palm Warblers, and a male Cape May Warbler foraged in a 10ft tall bush in the sun for 5 minutes at 25 feet. These are but a very few of the amazing highlights. How about 8 RB Grosbeak in one tree...6 of those in a bin view? How about a Magnolia Warbler perching on top of a bush 10 feet off the boardwalk below eye level...long enough to get a nearly full-frame picture? The highlights are simply too numerous to mention here. Words absolutely cannot describe this spectacle. So, we left. Well...we went for Field Birds. Just a few jewels in the rough such as Henslow's Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, etc. We weren't sure of our luck until we had a Henslow's Sparrow SINGING in the scope. We watched it for about 5 minutes. It didn't leave....we did. Bernie pulled to a stop in a likely Lark Sparrow spot. We had it within 30 seconds of getting out of the car. Ridiculous. The whole trip was like that. The only real lull came at Maumee Bay State Park. I suppose I shouldn't complain about seeing a dayroosting Screech Owl 20 feet off the boardwalk against a tree trunk, though, should I? So I guess I should say the lulls came when it was raining (no more than 3 hours or so of effective birding time) or when we were driving. Even that was pleasant, conversation good....we had a great time as a group. To conclude I can sum it up in one small piece of advice: "GO TO OHIO IN MAY!!!!!!" Total species seen: 176 Here's the numbers list of migrants - rare species for CCSP in bold, high numbers in bold, as well Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Least Flycatcher 5 Eastern Phoebe 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 3 Eastern Kingbird 24 Warbling Vireo 9 Philadelphia Vireo 2 White-eyed Vireo 7 Red-eyed Vireo 1(H) Blue-headed Vireo 6 Yellow-throated Vireo 1 Blue Jay ~1200 Barn Swallow 220 Cliff Swallow 5 Rough-winged Swallow 100 Bank Swallow 2 Tree Swallow 700 Purple Martin 40 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 230 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 40 Swainson's Thrush 26 Veery 51 Gray-cheeked Thrush 2 Hermit Thrush 9 Wood Thrush 19 Gray Catbird 52 Tennessee Warbler 2 Nashville Warbler 38 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Blue-winged Warbler 2 Northern Parula 3 Yellow Warbler 59 Chestnut-sided Warbler 5 Magnolia Warbler 21 Cape May Warbler 5 Blackburnian Warbler 1 Black-throated Blue Warbler 14 Cerulean Warbler 3 Black-throated Green Warbler 48 Yellow-rumped Warbler 450 Palm Warbler 186 Pine Warbler 3 Prairie Warbler 1(H) Blackpoll Warbler 3 Bay-breasted Warbler 2 Yellow-throated Warbler 1 Black-and-White Warbler 43 American Redstart 9 Prothonotary Warbler 2 Common Yellowthroat 21 Northern Waterthrush 44 Louisiana Waterthrush 1 Ovenbird 83 Hooded Warbler 5 Wilson's Warbler 1 Scarlet Tanager 4 Summer Tanager 1(H) Rose-breasted Grosbeak 43 Indigo Bunting 6 White-crowned Sparrow 45 White-throated Sparrow ~200 Baltimore Oriole 7 Orchard Oriole 3 Now we're back to DE and...luckily...there's been some good migration here for us to enjoy too. I hope ot run the trip again next year. Details are through the Delaware Nature Society. Thanks so much to all who participated. What a great inaugural trip!!! Hope to see you all in the field, Forrest Rowland --------------------------------- Yahoo! Deportes Beta ¡No te pierdas lo último sobre el torneo clausura 2008! Entérate aquí http://deportes.yahoo.com Subject: Wednesday Alapocas walk From: "sally o'byrne" <salobyrne AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 19:01:25 -0400 Please join me Wednesday morning at 7 am for a DOS Bird-A-Thon walk at Alapocas Woods State Park. We will be meeting at the softball field parking lot behind the DuPont Experimental Station, on Alapocas Drive off of Rt 141. Just checked the field trip description on the DOS website, and it mentions the area is good for thrushes and mourning warbler. Well, I've never had a mourning warbler there, but we will surely have an eye and ear out - the warblers in the area have been great this week. This park is under appreciated, and we will have chance to check out the newest addition to the park between Blue ball farm and Alapocas Drive, which has some very nice deciduous wet woodlands, and a newly planted 'successional' field. If you have pledges and would like to have this as part of your Bird-A- Thon day, we will help you find birds. If not, you can come help those who do, and enjoy the morning. Sally O'Byrne Subject: Wednesday Alapocas walk From: sally o'byrne <salobyrne AT gmail.com> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 19:01:25 -0400 Please join me Wednesday morning at 7 am for a DOS Bird-A-Thon walk at Alapocas Woods State Park. We will be meeting at the softball field parking lot behind the DuPont Experimental Station, on Alapocas Drive off of Rt 141. Just checked the field trip description on the DOS website, and it mentions the area is good for thrushes and mourning warbler. Well, I've never had a mourning warbler there, but we will surely have an eye and ear out - the warblers in the area have been great this week. This park is under appreciated, and we will have chance to check out the newest addition to the park between Blue ball farm and Alapocas Drive, which has some very nice deciduous wet woodlands, and a newly planted 'successional' field. If you have pledges and would like to have this as part of your Bird-A- Thon day, we will help you find birds. If not, you can come help those who do, and enjoy the morning. Sally O'Byrne Subject: Re: Finch eye disease From: Jill Constantine <jilldaisy AT MSN.COM> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 17:36:15 -0400 This spring there has been a number of finch eye cases at TriState Bird Rescue. Washing out feeders on a regular basis is a very good idea. ----- Original Message ----- From: Kay Greene To: de-birds AT Princeton.EDU Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 3:49 PM Subject: [de-birds] Finch eye disease This morning in my yard southwest of Milford I noticed a richly brown finch. While checking it with my binoculars I saw that one eye was closed and scaly looking. The bird was wiping that eye on a branch. This afternoon I've been cleaning and disinfecting all of my feeders. Is the eye disease becoming a problem again? I haven't spotted the bird again. Kay Greene Lincoln Subject: Yellow-breasted Chat Photos and Warblers List From: JEFFERY DAVIS <jwdjwd67 AT MSN.COM> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 15:53:31 -0400 We had such a nice time (especially with the Warblers) at Bombay Hook and Ted Harvey on Saturday with 102 species (103 if you count "Western" Willet as a separate species and we do!) basically 9:00 am to 9:00 pm that even though we struck out on the Bombay Hook Ruff and the Ted Harvey White-winged Tern, we were back in Delaware on Sunday this time at Prime Hook. Sunday was on the whole an even better day with 20 more species to add to the 102 from Sat. and 15 warblers for the day (16 if you include a Yellow-breasted Chat that even held still in the open long enough to pose for some photos). Prime Hook Warblers on Sunday: Yellow-breasted Chat (Photo) Worm-eating Prothonotary Prairie Hooded Northern Parula Black-throated Blue Black-throated Green Yellow-throated Common Yellow Throat Yellow Yellow-rumped Black and white American Redstart Pine Ovenbird *Blue-winged *The only Saturday hold out species that we could not find at Prime Hook was Blue-winged Warbler which we saw at Ted Harvey. That's right. Sat. at Ted Harvey held Yellow-breasted Chat number 1 of our 2 chat weekend but the photo is from Sunday at Prime Hook. It was a very nice weekend. And a big THANKS to the very nice birders at Prime Hook that alerted us to the Chat!!! Photos are at the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21068017 AT N07/ regards jeff Checkout our bird photos at the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21068017 AT N07/ Subject: Finch eye disease From: Kay Greene <kayLIgreene AT MSN.COM> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 15:49:23 -0400 This morning in my yard southwest of Milford I noticed a richly brown finch. While checking it with my binoculars I saw that one eye was closed and scaly looking. The bird was wiping that eye on a branch. This afternoon I've been cleaning and disinfecting all of my feeders. Is the eye disease becoming a problem again? I haven't spotted the bird again. Kay Greene Lincoln Subject: Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch 05-05-08 7 Raptors From: Susan Gruver <Srgruver AT AOL.COM> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 15:29:47 EDT Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch Delaware, USA Daily Raptor Counts: May 05, 2008 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Species Day's Count Month Total Season Total ------------------ ----------- -------------- -------------- Black Vulture 0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 0 0 28 Osprey 0 0 37 Bald Eagle 0 0 4 Northern Harrier 0 2 21 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 17 100 Cooper's Hawk 0 1 35 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 0 0 0 Broad-winged Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 0 0 11 Rough-legged Hawk 0 0 0 Golden Eagle 0 0 0 American Kestrel 0 3 184 Merlin 3 4 229 Peregrine Falcon 0 0 2 Unknown Accipiter 0 0 12 Unknown Buteo 0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 5 Unknown Eagle 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 1 2 26 Total: 7 29 694 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Observation start time: 08:30:00 Observation end time: 10:30:00 Total observation time: 2 hours Official Counter: Dave Weber Observers: Susan Gruver Weather: wind-East 2-3,temp 13c,clcv 100%,visb 15k, humi 94%,bara 30.11 Raptor Observations: Non-raptor Observations: Predictions: sunny high 74, WNW 5-10 ======================================================================== Report submitted by Sue Gruver (srgruver AT aol.com **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) Subject: Brandywine Creek Migrants From: Matthew Sarver <ammodram AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 12:26:54 -0700 Just a quick note on Brandywine Creek this morning.  Relatively quiet, compared to the reports from Sunday.  I did have 2 Magnolias and 2 Blue-wingeds on the maintenance building side upstream from the wetland, and 1 or 2 Worm-eaters west of Thompson Bridge before you get to the Ramsey property.  Red-eyed Vireo, Black-throated Blue, Black-and-white, Ovenbird, and Wood Thrush are present in good numbers, with smaller numbers of Yellow-rumped Warbler, Redstart, Baltimore Oriole, Scarlet Tanager, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  Northern Parulas were few and, oddly, silent.  A single Blue-headed Vireo was a nice surprise. New for the year for me were singletons of Eastern Wood-Pewee and Veery. I had some luck yesterday at Little Creek WMA, with a nice mix of migrants and breeders.  Also had a few warblers and a Summer Tanager at Killens Pond SP, and an array of the usuals at Bombay Hook.  Will post details on these birds as time permits. Good birding, Matt Matt Sarver New Castle, DE ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Subject: Fallout at Brandywine Creek Today From: Andy Ednie <ednieap AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 11:49:53 -0400 There was a large number of warblers at the park today, one of the best fallouts I've ever had there. Black and White and Black-throated Blue were the most common, giving the woods a very buzzy nature to the air. A total of 20 species were reported. Here are some names and numbers Blue-winged Warbler 2 Nashville Warbler 2 Yellow Warbler 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler 4 Black-throated Blue Warbler 22 Yellow-rumped Warbler 30+ Black-throated Green Warbler 8 Prairie Warbler 3 Palm Warbler Blackpoll Warbler 1 Black and White Warbler 30+ American Redstart 16 Worm-eating Warbler 1 Ovenbird 20 Northern Waterthrush 1 Louisiana Waterthrush 1 Kentucky Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat A Hooded Warbler 1 Solitary Sandpiper, 5 species of Vireo, and Scarlet tanager were also found. The Palm Warbler was reported to me by Joe Swertinski and Carol Ralph. Good birding, Andy Subject: Saturday bayshore From: Matthew Sarver <ammodram AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 06:10:42 -0700 Hi all - Lauren and I joined Chris Bennett on his field trip to Milford Neck and the Mispillion / Slaughter Beach area yesterday morning.  It was a great morning, with a number of warbler species in the woods and a wonderful shorebird show at the Dupont Nature Center, including great views of Red Knot.  We were fortunate to find most of our warbler diversity in a single, very cooperative foraging flock.  I assume Chris will post a trip report, but in the meantime, here are a few notes from our additional birding after the trip. We swung by Broadkill in late afternoon, but the impoundments were foggy, windy, and nearly birdless. At about 5 pm, we found a massive flock of Black-bellied Plover in a very expansive plowed field on the north side of McColley Rd (of off rt. 36).  I estimated at least 1500 plovers, but could find no Goldens in about 15 minutes of searching.  Many of the birds were quite distant.  Also included were 3 Dunlin, 50 Semipalmated Plovers, and 2 Red Knots (I didn't know Knots showed up in dry plowed fields!).  22 Glossy Ibis flew over while we scanned the flock. Further along, on the dead-end spur of McColley Rd, were a number of singing Horned Larks in another plowed field. Around 6:15 pm, we stopped to bird the north pond of Ted Harvey, and were treated to the usual cast of characters.  Neither the Little Gull nor the Eurasian Wigeon were present, nor were any of the Gadwall that the wigeons had been associating with in days past.  The pair of Pintail and scattering of Green-winged Teal were still there, as were about 20 Bonparte's Gulls and almost 100 skimmers.  The shorebird selection included Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, and both Yellowlegs.  We also noted a pair of copulating Willets.  About 50 Forster's Terns were present, and we were able to relocate the "odd" tern that I described the other day.  We actually got even better looks at this bird, and it became more obvious to me that this bird is NOT a good candidate for the previously seen White-winged Tern on the basis of size, shape, bill characters and flight, but it still is an awfully odd bird for a Forster's.  We did finally see it plunge dive once, although it skimmed and plucked many more times.  Size still looks slightly, but noticeably smaller than Forster's, but posture was similar (I think our postural differences the other day were a result of the bird preening).  I payed close attention to the bill size and shape and could see no significant differences from Forster's.  Also, a closer look revealed that the eye "patch" on this bird does not actually surround the eye, as I previously thought, but rather begins at the upper rear corner of the eye and extends rearward in a large "paisley"-like shape.  I would really love it if someone with some strong knowledge of tern plumages would get a look at this bird and give some input on why it looks like it does!  It seems to consistenly like to perch on the bar about midway across, on the near side of the grass, and is the only tern I have seen out there with no cap, and the obvious gray back separated from dusky coverts and flight feathers by a dark bar.  Unfortunately, my camera is not good enough to get a good digiscope picture at that distance.  This bird is the only thing remotely looking like a White-winged Tern that I have seen at Ted Harvey in many hours of searching.  That's obviously not to say that the "real" WW Tern hasn't been back, but I think birders who chased the tern and whose sightings were of a flying bird with short white tail, all gray wings, and dark primaries should critically evaluate their observations with this "odd" apparent Forster's in mind.  Back to the birding: to close out the evening, we stopped at Greer's Pond and heard a King Rail calling. Good birding, Matt Matt Sarver New Castle, DE  ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Subject: Spring Roundup From: Joe Sebastiani <bunker17 AT VERIZON.NET> Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 09:00:55 -0400 Dear Delaware Birders: I am in charge of most of Kent County for the Spring Roundup on May 10th. One area is still lacking birding coverage and I could use your help. The area is essentially from Cheswold to central Dover and east to and including Port Mahon Road and west to the MD border. If I can get a few birders to cover this area, I would like to split it up because it is a large chunk of real estate. If you are interested in birding here for the Roundup, please contact me. Joe Sebastiani Subject: Red Knots at Bombay Hook From: Hannah McLennan <hmclennan AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sun, 4 May 2008 07:37:28 -0400 Saturday morning, about 35-50 red knots were near the north end of Shearness Pool (fresh water) not far from the road, mixed with several dunlin. They looked very healthy. Tide was high on the marsh side. Hannah McLennan Camden, DE Subject: Prime Hook NWR neo-tropical migrants From: Bill Fintel <avian2 AT CE.NET> Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 19:15:01 -0400 At Prime Hook mid-day today (5/3), Ed Sigda and I observed a total of 18 warbler species in about 3 hours. There was clearly a 'fall-out' of migrants overnight. Highlights for this time of year included Nashville, Blackpoll, Magnolia, and N. Waterthrush. Also observed were Scarlet and Summer Tanager, Wood Thrush, E. Wood Pewee and lots of Baltimore and Orchard Orioles. Bill Fintel Lewes, DE Subject: Swallow-tailed Kite at Trap Pond SP From: ROHRBAF AT AOL.COM Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 15:19:20 EDT Dick Bingham called and left a message that he was watching a Swallow-tailed Kite flying around the pond at Trap Pond SP at 1:20 PM. Frank Rohrbacher Wilmington, Delaware **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food. (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001) Subject: Bird-A-Thon Walk at White Clay, 5/3 From: Derek Stoner <derek AT DELAWARENATURESOCIETY.ORG> Date: Sat, 3 May 2008 13:41:07 -0400 The first official walk of the Bird-A-Thon week took place at White Clay Creek State Park this morning, and 33 participants enjoyed a wide variety of migrant birds during the course of our 3+ hour jaunt from the nature center to Wedgewood Road and back. We observed a total of 69 species on a very birdy morning. Our morning began with looks at three Rose-breasted Grosbeaks perched in a tree, along with male Orchard Orioles displaying from treetops. Yellow-rumped Warblers are still the most-numerous migrant warbler, and we also saw Magnolia, Chestnut-sided, Wilson's, Black-and-white, and Black-throated Blue Warblers, among 13 species of warbler. Local-breeding warblers like American Redstarts and Northern Parulas put on a show, as did Yellow-throated, Warbling, and Red-eyed Vireos. Other highlights include Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Solitary Sandpiper, Green Heron, Wood Thrush, Acadian Flycatcher(calling) and an accipiter that may best be called a "Shooper's Hawk" based upon the divided opinion of the group! Scope views of male Indigo Bunting, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and American Redstart proved that hauling a scope through the woods is well worth the effort. The true show-stopper of the morning had to be the male Scarlet Tanager teed up on the top of a bare Sycamore tree. The cooperative bird provided scope views for more than 30 people and stayed in one place for over 8 minutes. When the bird finally flew, he elicited an appreciative round of applause from the group. Thank you to all who took part in the walk and helped to celebrate the kick-off of the 2008 Delaware Bird-A-Thon. We appreciate your support of this event, as birders head afield to make a difference for conservation. Enjoy the birds! Good birding, Derek Stoner Hockessin, DE Subject: Baltimore Orioles From: Dawn Miller <dawnightwalker AT HOTMAIL.COM> Date: Fri, 2 May 2008 23:21:34 -0400 hello De-Birders, I hope this isn't a repeat, but here in Millington, MD we have wonderful activity among the Baltimore Orioles. Males and females seen doing mating behaviors. Also, we have Eastern Bluebirds around our nesting boxes. We hope they have settled in. Good Birding, Dawn Miller