Re: Advice on OC birding???
Norm Saunders (osprey@ARI.Net)
Wed, 25 Mar 1998 18:22:55 -0500
Hullo, Roger, sounds like fun...
> Tomorrow (Thursday) I'm making the trek from Germantown to OC to try
> and catch some birds before they realize that "spring has sprung".
> (Hope I'm not too late!) I've never birded the area before, so if
> anyone would like to give me tips on where to go if you only have
> one day, I'd sure appreciate it.
>
> I have an occasional beach goer's geography of the area, but no
> in-depth knowledge. For example, is the OC jetty I read about, the
> main jetty down by the amusement park? Where are West OC Pond and
> Racetrack Pond? Any other hot spots I should hit?
First off, virtually all of the locales you mention need a scope to
take full advantage of them. Be warned! Grin...
The jetty is at the very southernmost end of Ocean City. Park in the
lot right beside the north jetty and scope the rocks of both jetties
for turnstones, purple sandpipers, and red knot. Look along the
outer end of the south jetty for seaducks. Scan between the two
jetties, out toward sea for Bonaparte's Gulls and, if you are very
lucky, a Little Gull. Watch even further out for northern gannets!
While you are approaching the jetties, watch for the water tower with
"Ocean City" painted on it. Scan the railings of the tower (and also
the radio towers of the nearby Coast Guard station for the old
faithful Peregrine Falcon here. Check out all cormorants carefully
for Great Cormorant.
Now head out of Ocean City across the Rt. 50 bridge. As soon as you
are across the bridge and some shoulder appears, pull off and park
and walk back onto the bridge (there is a walkway protected from
traffic by a chain-link fence. About 1/3 of the way back across the
bridge, you will be getting possibly the closest views possible of
the 4th Street Flats (also called Skimmer Island by some).
Leave this spot and drive to the second traffic signal (Golf Course
Road). Turn right onto Golf Course and drive about 1/4 mile,
watching on the left for a pond visible through a thin band of trees
and bushes. This is West Pond. Check for ducks, geese, and et
cetera here but also watch for a largish roost of Black-crowned
Night-Herons.
Instead of the Race track ponds at this point I would suggest you go
back into Ocean City and drive north into Delaware, through South
Bethany and Bethany and almost all of the way to Dewey Beach. Watch
for the Indian River Inlet and take the south exit first. Park by
the jetty and check them both out, especially the light at the end of
the south jetty, a reliable location for great cormorant. Drive
under Rt 1 past the campgrounds all the way back to the marine and
scan the back bay and the jetty at the marina entrance for birds.
Return to Rt. 1 and cross the inlet bridge then turn left almost
immediately into the north end of the inlet. Drive back, past the
Coast Guard to the marina, turn right and drive to the end of the
road. A trail through the marsh starts here (marked, I believe) that
can be fun at any time of the year.
Now get back on Rt. 1 heading north and in Dewey Beach, follow every
road on the left back to the bay to check for whatever happens to be
there. Now is a super time to be looking for eared grebes! When Rt.
1 bears sharp left, stay with it and follow the signs for the Cape
May/Lewes Ferry. Head to the ferry until you are at the parking lot
there...don't go in, just keep on driving past until you reach Cape
Henlopen State Park. Watch for the quick left to the fishing pier.
Then go back to the main park road and go a bit further to the
visitor center, to check their feeders. Then go to the point parking
lot, by the radar tower and scan the dunes, the bay, and the ocean
for whatever is of interest there.
I second the notion about picking up Claudia's book!
Good birding, Rog!
Norm
===============
Norm Saunders
Colesville, MD
osprey@ari.net