[MDOsprey] RBA: Delaware, July 1, 1999
BlkVulture@aol.com
Fri, 2 Jul 1999 10:25:32 EDT
* RBA
* Delaware
* Statewide
* July 1, 1999
* DEST9901,07
- Birds mentioned
Brown Pelican
Little Egret
Tricolored Heron
White-faced Ibis
Brant
Black Scoter
Red-breasted Merganser
Broad-winged Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
Piping Plover
American Oystercatcher
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Upland Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Ruff
Wilson's Phalarope
Gull-billed Tern
Black Skimmer
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Marsh Wren
Eastern Bluebird (feature)
Yellow Warbler
Grasshopper Sparrow
Eastern Meadowlark
- Transcript
Hotline: Birdline Delaware
Date: July 1, 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, July 1st. Coming to you from the
Delaware Museum of Natural History. The birdline is sponsored by the DOS,
the Delmarva Ornithological Society. This is Andy Ednie, Armas Hill is
still away in Spain this week with Focus on Nature Tours.
The LITTLE EGRET continues to be seen at Bombay Hook. This bird was seen
over the weekend between Shearness and Raymond Pool. Other birds at Bombay
Hook include WHITE-FACED IBIS, WILSON'S PHALAROPE, a REEVE, STILT and
WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, BLACK-NECKED STILT, AMERICAN AVOCET, and PEREGRINE
FALCON.
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.
If you go looking for the LITTLE EGRET at Bombay Hook, go early. The bird
is usually seen along the dikes, close to the road in the mornings. In the
afternoon, it tends to fly to the back of the pools to feed, making
identification difficult.
There is some controversy as to whether the LITTLE EGRET has one or two
plumes remaining on the back of the head. If its one plume or two there are
other field marks to look for. The LITTLE EGRET is a chunkier bird with
what appears to be a thicker bill. Look for the greenish-yellow lores and
pale yellow feet.
At Cape Henlopen Point this week, up to 7 BLACK SCOTERS were seen offshore,
also PIPING PLOVER, BRANT, RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS and AMERICAN
OYSTERCATCHERS but no interesting terns.
As many as 16 BLACK SCOTERS were seen at the rock jetty at Gordon's Pond.
Along the beach there, by the old sub towers were at pair of PIPING PLOVER
with young.
BROWN PELICANS have been hard to find along the Delaware Beaches this
year. A pair was seen off Gordon's Pond and more BROWN PELICAN was seen
feeding off shore from Rehoboth Beach.
Lots of EGRETS and HERONS were found this weekend at Assawoman Wildlife
Area, west of Fenwick Island. In with the large numbers of herons were 8
TRICOLORED HERONS and a dozen BLACK SKIMMERS. Nearby, a GULL-BILLED TERN
was seen. Assawoman remains one of the few sites in Delaware for finding
this tern.
In northern Delaware, a BROAD-WINGED HAWK was seen over Hockessin on Monday.
A RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH continues to make its rounds at feeding stations in
Green Acres.
UPLAND SANDPIPERS have been reported this week, at the Greater Wilmington
Airport and at Dover AFB. While looking for the uppies at Dover, 7
GRASSHOPPER SPARROWS AND EASTERN MEADOWLARKS were found.
The Wilmington Marsh survey reported 5 WILLOW FLYCATCHERS, YELLOW WARBLER,
MARSH WREN, LITTLE BLUE HERON and SNOWY EGRET on Tuesday.
With the 4th of July Holiday approaching, here is this week's feature from
Birdline Delaware, on the radio, at 1450 WILM. You can hear Birdline
Delaware on the radio at 8:55 AM and 6:55 PM on Wednesdays.
We have on occasion talk here about our national symbols. The BALD EAGLE
has made a remarkable comeback after near extinction. Ben Franklin's WILD
TURKEY is flourishing again in the east. But there is another bird that is
uniquely New World that our forefathers were astonished at seeing when they
first came here. That bird is the EASTERN BLUEBIRD. It too fell on hard
times in recent history, but has made a remarkable recovery.
BLUEBIRDS were a common bird during colonial times. They were often
depicted sitting on fence posts or in orchards. But the winter of 1958 was
particularly hard on BLUEBIRDS. The Valentine's Day storm that dumped 2
feet of snow in Delaware covered the Carolina's in ice. That storm, as
written up in Audubon Field Notes, was responsible for the deaths of
thousands of BLUEBIRDS. Dozens were found frozen together, trapped trying
to keep warm from the ice. That, and the competition for nest sites from
the introduced EUROPEAN STARLING, caused the population of BLUEBIRDS here
in the east to hit rock bottom.
Nest box programs throughout Delaware have helped returned BLUEBIRDS to the
state. BLUEBIRDS can now be seen using nest boxes at Bellview, Brandywine,
and White Clay Creek State Parks, and Ashland Nature Center. Now's a good
time to watch them as their first brood of young leave the nest. The young
all have spotted breasts like THRUSHES. Bluebirds are actually related to
our THRUSHES and ROBINS.
You can spot the males flying across the field by their sky blue back and
wings. There is no other blue like that in the world. The blue back is
contrasted by a brick red breast, and white belly, making the BLUEBIRD our
only truly patriotic red, white, and blue bird. And that is a nice thing to
see during this time just after the 4th of July.
If you go out west, you might see the Eastern Bluebird's two relatives, the
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD and the WESTERN BLUEBIRD. While their population has
remained stable, they too have benefited from man's assistance with nest
box programs.
If you are interested in some pelagic birding, there are still some places
available on upcoming trips. Now is the time to sign up to look for
WHITE-FACED STORM PETREL and other summer pelagics. This will be your last
chance for the millennium.
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 and have a Happy 4th of July.
-end transcript
Andrew P. Ednie
ednieap@wittnet.com
Wilmington, DE