[MDOsprey] RBA: Delaware, June 24, 1999

BlkVulture@aol.com
Fri, 25 Jun 1999 10:59:19 EDT 

* RBA
* Delaware
* Statewide
* June 24, 1999
* DEST9924,06

- Birds mentioned
Cory's Shearwater
Greater Shearwater
Sooty Shearwater
Manx Shearwater
Wilson's Storm Petrel
Leach's Storm-Petrel
Northern Gannet
Brown Pelican
Little Egret
White-faced Ibis
Northern Pintail
Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
Piping Plover
Semipalmated Plover
American Avocet
Stilt Sandpiper
Wilson's Phalarope
Parasitic Jeager
Sandwich Tern
Bridled Tern
Black Skimmer
Barred Owl
Pileated Woodpecker
Willow Flycatcher
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Marsh Wren
Yellow-throated Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager
Blue Grosbeak
Salt Marsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Bobolink


- Transcript
Hotline:       Birdline Delaware
Date:           June 24, 1999
Number:      302/658-2747
To Report:   Armas Hill, 302/529-1876 (VOICE)
                         302/529-1085 (FAX)
Compiler:   Andy Ednie (ednieap@wittnet.com)
Coverage:    Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, nearby Delaware Valley, Southern
New Jersey, Maryland
Transcriber: Andy Ednie (ednieap@wittnet.com)
DOS web page: www.acnatsci.org/dos.

This is Birdline Delaware for Thursday, June 24th. Coming to you from the
Delaware Museum of Natural History and sponsored by the DOS, the Delmarva
Ornithological Society. This is Andy Ednie,  Armas Hill is away this week
in Spain with Focus on Nature Tours

The LITTLE EGRET continues to be seen at Bombay Hook. This bird was seen
over the weekend at Raymond Pool and has been seen daily since. Other birds
at Bombay Hook include WHITE-FACED IBIS, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, STILT
SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, and NORTHERN PINTAIL.

Updates on the LITTLE EGRET and other birds in Delaware can be found at the
Backyard Bird Company. Call Irene or Ellen at 302-478-8300 for the latest
updates.

The pelagic trip out of Lewes, Delaware to Delaware and Maryland waters was
hugely successful, with pelagic birds all day. Highlights of the trip
include a LEACH'S STORM PETREL that tracked along side the boat for several
minutes, great looks at an immature BRIDLED TERN sitting on a piece of
flotsam, and superb views of GREATER, CORY'S, AND SOOTY SHEARWATER.

The Wilmington Marsh survey on Tuesday produced several WILLOW FLYCATCHERS,
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, MARSH WREN, and BLUE GROSBEAK. If you would like to
see this unique area and help on the survey call Sally O'Byrne at
302-658-8286.

Some other birds in Delaware seen this week include BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES
seen at the docks at Henlopen Acres in Rehoboth Beach, PIPING PLOVER at
Cape Henlopen State Park, and AMERICAN AVOCETS at the Little Creek tower.

Also at Little Creek, a pair of PEREGRINE FALCONS can be seen at the tower
out in the marsh and BLACK SKIMMERS can be seen loafing around the
impoundments.

A good spot for SALT MARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROWS this summer has been the
marshes along Oyster Rock Road, just north of Lewes. This is the southern
edge of Prime Hook NWR. To find this spot, take Del Rt. 1 to the airport (a
few miles south of the turn to Broadkill Beach). Turn east at the airport
and drive out to the marsh to find the sparrows.

In Maryland, there are nesting BOBOLINKS at the Fair Hill Nature Center in
Cecil Co. This site can be viewed from Appleton Road.

Rare and unusual breeding birds were the subject of next weeks Birdline
Delaware, on the radio at 1450 WILM at 8:55 AM and 6:55 PM on Wednesdays.
Here now is this week's feature.

A few weeks ago here, a river in southern Delaware was referred to, called
the "Nanticoke". It flows from southern Delaware through Maryland to the
Chesapeake Bay. It's named after the native Americans that lived by it, the
Nanticoke Indians. They lived a good life along the river, described as
sedentary and comfortable, with game plentiful and food easy to get.

Today, the area of the Nanticoke is good for birding. In Delaware, along
both sides of the river, there are forests with a mixture of Loblolly and
Virginia Pine, oaks, maples and Sweet Gum. In these forests are birds such
as RED-SHOULDERED HAWK, SUMMER TANAGER, the large PILEATED WOODPECKER,
WORM-EATING WARBLERS, and BARRED OWLS, that call at night.

Along the trail called the Cherry Walk, between Phillips Landing and the
Nanticoke, there is a stand of American White Cedar. In this area,
PROTHONOTARY WARBLERS are numerous this time of year. An attractive bird,
mostly yellow, the PROTHONOTARY WARBLER is the only warbler in eastern
North America that are cavity nesters. The only warbler in the west that
nests in holes is the LUCY'S.

There's another attractive warbler that breeds along the Nanticoke, the
southern population of the YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER, near the northern limit
of its range.

The BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH of the southern pines can also be found along the
Nanticoke. they reach the northern limit of their range on the Delmarva
Peninsula. They're more common on the Maryland side.

In a book entitled "Naturalist on the Nanticoke" by Robert Hedeen, a bird
is referred to the "ERNE". That's a name not often used. The bird is the
OSPREY, more commonly called the "FISH HAWK".  Its numbers along the
Nanticoke have been increasing. the bird is doing well there.

The Woodland Ferry goes back and forth across the river south of Seaford.
The ride is free. Often in the summer, you can see OSPREY from the ferry.
Whatever you may see or wherever you may be this summer, good birding.

At Cape May this week, some pelagic species seen from Cape May Point
included a MANX SHEARWATER on June 21st. along with three PARASITIC
JAEGERS, a SANDWICH TERN, and 50+ WILSON'S STORM-PETRELS. NORTHERN GANNETS
and occasional BROWN PELICANS can also be seen from the point.

Now is your last chance to get WHITE-FACED STORM PETREL and other pelagic
specialties on your lifelist before the end of the millennium. If you are
interested in some pelagic birding, there are still some places available
on upcoming trips.

Saturday, August 28th, the cost is $75.

Saturday, September 4th and Sunday, September 5th, the cost is $95 per trip.

And, from Lewes, Delaware to Baltimore Canyon on Sunday, September 5th,
once again the cost is $95. Reservations are required. contact Focus on
Nature Tours at 1-800-362-0869 or email to FONT@focusonnature.com.

Thank you for calling the birdline. Please send your reports to birdline by
calling 302-792-9591 or send a fax to 302-529-1085. You can reach me on the
internet at ednieap@wittnet.com. Good birding.

-end transcript



Andrew P. Ednie
ednieap@wittnet.com
Wilmington, DE