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Updated on Wednesday, May 14 at 08:36 AM ET
The most recently received Mail is at the top.


Crossbill

14 May WISSSAHICKON WATERSHED PROGRAM 5/16 AT WYNCOTE AUDUBON [Clifford Hence ]
14 May Red-necked Phalarope and Whip-poor-will at Broadkill Beach (Pics) [JEFFERY DAVIS ]
13 May Next Two Days [Ed Sigda ]
13 May Fowler Beach Update [Ed Sigda ]
13 May Wood Sandpiper relocated [Bill Fintel ]
13 May Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow ["Roger J. Masse" ]
13 May Wood Sandpiper - No; Red Phalarope - Yes [Ed Sigda ]
13 May Re: Bobolinks - Abbott's Mill [Bill Stewart ]
13 May Bombay Hook NWR Bird Sightings:May 5 thru May 11, 2008 [tina watson ]
13 May Bobolinks - Abbott's Mill [Jason Beale ]
12 May Wood Sandpiper Video [JEFFERY DAVIS ]
12 May May 10th @ Prime Hook Trip from MD [David Smith ]
12 May DOS Spring Roundup [John Janowski ]
12 May Wood Sandpiper present at 1:20 pm [Ed Sigda ]
12 May Spring Count Report - West of Seaford, North of Nanticoke River ["Lovelace Glen (DelDOT)" ]
12 May Wood Sandpiper Guest Book Redux [Liz Gordon ]
12 May Not 1, but 2 Dickcissels, West of Seaford ["Lovelace Glen (DelDOT)" ]
12 May Wood Sandpiper at Prime Hook NWR Guest Book [Liz Gordon ]
12 May TEST ONLY!!! DELETE PLEASE [Gardner Marie CE US ]
11 May Birding with the Knots, 5/10 [Derek Stoner ]
11 May Wilmington Big Day ["sally o'byrne" ]
11 May Re: Wood Sandpiper still present at 5:30 pm [Kurt Gaskill ]
11 May Re: Wood Sandpiper 5:20 am Sunday [Kurt Gaskill ]
11 May Just starting out [Denise LaMont ]
11 May Wood Sandpiper still present at 5:30 pm [Ed Sigda ]
11 May Re: Wood Sandpiper 5:20 am Sunday [Kurt Gaskill ]
11 May Bobolinks on Mother's Day [Bill Stewart ]
11 May From Prime Hook to Sandy Hook (long)--Wood Sandpiper, Cape May Warbler etc, PICS [JEFFERY DAVIS ]
11 May Wood Sandpiper 5:20 am Sunday [Bill Fintel ]
10 May Wood Sandpiper [Scott Baron ]
10 May Gordons Pond Spring Round-up + Prime Hook [Chris Bennett ]
10 May Wood Sandpiper still present at 5:00pm [Ed Sigda ]
10 May More Wood Sandpiper photos, plus 5/7/08 Big Day report [Steve Collins ]
10 May Wood Sandpiper [Sharon Lynn ]
10 May Wood Sandpiper present at 5:30 am (Saturday) [Ed Sigda ]
9 May Wood Sandpiper present until 6:30 pm [Ed Sigda ]
9 May Wood Sandpiper photos on DOSBirds.org [Homsey ]
9 May Wood Sandpiper present Fri 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM [Rick Cheicante ]
9 May Waterthrush on a wet day [Derek Stoner ]
9 May Re: Wood Sanpiper [ksnyder ]
9 May Wood Sandpiper present at 1:30 - please be safe [Ed Sigda ]
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 ]

Subject: WISSSAHICKON WATERSHED PROGRAM 5/16 AT WYNCOTE AUDUBON
From: Clifford Hence <cwhenceiii AT AOL.COM>
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 09:34:20 -0400
“THE WISSAHICKON WATERSHED” by Jamie Stewart will be
presented on Friday, May 16th by the Wyncote Audubon Society at
7:30PM at the Plymouth Meeting House, Germantown and Butler Pike in Plymouth
Meeting. Jamie is active with the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association, and
recently co-authored the photo book “Wissahickon: Worth Preserving.” 
Proceeds 

from the book go to WVWA. Jamie’s talk will focus on the Wissahickon 
Watershed, 

and will feature images of familiar spots, as well as on current efforts by
WVWA to acquire more land for preservation. This program is free and
refreshment will be provided. 






There will be a BIRDING FIELD TRIP on Saturday, May 17th to White
Clay Creek, Del. Meet 6:30AM at the McDonald's on Rte 896. This is a good time
of year for late migrants and breeding warblers. For more information call the
leader: Rick White at 215-483-9321. Note: There is a parking fee at this site.
Subject: Red-necked Phalarope and Whip-poor-will at Broadkill Beach (Pics)
From: JEFFERY DAVIS <jwdjwd67 AT MSN.COM>
Date: Wed, 14 May 2008 09:07:37 -0400
In an effort to achieve a clean sweep of the Phalarope in a week... without 
a boat (I had seen a Wilson's in Nazareth, PA on Sunday), Amy and I lit out 
from work in Devon, PA at 4:30pm and headed for Prime Hook with dreams of 
seeing the Red-necked and Red Phalaropes reported earlier in the day. After 
a 3 hour drive (with Traffic) we had about 20-30 minutes of usable light to 
try and find what would surely be a badly backlit view of the Phalaropes. 
Our best chance in the dim light was in flight and I managed to get on a 
likely suspect and trailed it to landing about 20 feet in front of us as 
luck would have it. We had a nice look at a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE (Photo) but 
unfortunately the light was too low for anything except a dim photo. We 
struck out on the Red but we did hang around a little while to listen for 
rails and others and did hear a WHIP-POOR-WILL calling. If anyone sees the 
Red Phalarope please let us know b/c we are game for another mad run to DE. 
:)

Our photos are here:
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: Next Two Days
From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 22:11:55 -0400
I will be away for the next two days so I will not be able to post 
updates on the Wood Sandpiper and/or Red Phalaropes (at least 3 were 
there today).  I know a field trip will be in the area tomorrow so they 
should be able to get the word out if the birds are still present.

Ed Sigda
Milton, DE
www.primehookbirding.com
Subject: Fowler Beach Update
From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 21:51:59 -0400
I was finally able to get into the Fowler Beach area this evening as the 
waters finally began to reside a little.  Even then I needed to drive 
through several spots about a foot deep to get to the bridge at 
Slaughter Canal were I was able to take some photos.  As I expected the 
dunes in the vicinity of the parking area are gone.  It's hard to say 
when this area will get back to normal again.  Amazingly it looks like 
the roadway still exists under the water.

I have created the following web page for the photos I took this 
evening: 
http://www.primehookbirding.com/fowlerbeach/fowler_beach_may_2008.htm

Ed Sigda
Milton, DE
www.primehookbirding.com
Subject: Wood Sandpiper relocated
From: Bill Fintel <avian2 AT CE.NET>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 18:23:54 -0400
I just rec'd a call from Ed Sigda that he, and Jeff and Liz Gordon, have
re-found the Wood Sandpiper about 5 minutes ago (6:20 pm, 5/13). The bird was
close to the road on the north side just opposite the 2nd (largest) pull-off.

Bill Fintel
Lewes, DE
Subject: Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
From: "Roger J. Masse" <rmasse08 AT DESU.EDU>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 16:56:11 -0400
Found this afternoon in a meadow along Blackbird Creek in the Blackbird 
Component of the DNERR.

Roger
Subject: Wood Sandpiper - No; Red Phalarope - Yes
From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 14:00:58 -0400
So far no report of the Wood Sandpiper today, but there were two Red 
Phalarope and 24+ Red-necked Phalarope present on the north side of the 
road.  It is quite possible that the Wood Sandpiper is still present but 
most of the habitat is now gone due to the storm.  The habitat that does 
exist is now covered with other shorebirds that have been displaced.

There were about 15 birders present when I stopped over at noon so there 
are people looking for the bird.  I will try to get back out later today 
to look again as the water levels should begin to drop some this afternoon.

Ed Sigda
Milton, DE
www.primehookbirding.com
Subject: Re: Bobolinks - Abbott's Mill
From: Bill Stewart <hcf2 AT EARTHLINK.NET>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 10:22:44 -0400
Morning,

To continue Jason's thread on Bobolinks, there still remains as of  
this morning a very vocal group along Ramsey Rd. at the bottom of the  
hill right at the turn.  They have been hanging around the southern  
woodlot or in the Sycamore treetop in the middle of the field.

Just out of curiosity, are these bo-bo-links or bob-o-links?  Plo-ver  
or plov-er?

Bill Stewart


On May 13, 2008, at 8:43 AM, Jason Beale wrote:

Hi,

A small flock of bobolinks is currently in the barley field at the  
corner of
Abbott's Pond and Lindale Road.  They are singing and males are  
chasing other
males.  The area they seemed to be concentrated at is the far end of the
field.  Head up Lindale to where the houses start on the left.  The  
field on the
right is recently plowed.  There is a small puddle in this field  
where 4 least
sandpipers are feeding.  Other flooded fields in the area have had  
more leasts
and black-bellied plovers.  Immediately adjacent is the barley where  
the bobos
are.  Please park on the farm field sides if you come so as not to  
disturb the
residents on the housing side.

Other notes from the past few days:
The female Bufflehead that has been seen since last wednesday was not
sighted in a few scans of the pond.  However, with the increasing
spatterdock, visibility is limited in some areas, so she may still be  
around.
Johnson's Branch boardwalk has high water, parulas, ovenbirds, and  
acadian
flycatchers.  A blackpoll was singing in the pine woods on sunday.   
Rose-
breasted Grosbeak, Magnolia Warbler, and Black-throated Blue Warbler are
other recent sightings.

Jason Beale
Abbott's Mill Nature Center
Milford, DE
Subject: Bombay Hook NWR Bird Sightings:May 5 thru May 11, 2008
From: tina watson <tinawatsonde AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 05:56:43 -0700
NOTICE: DUE TO STORM DAMAGE THE AUTO-TOUR ROUTE AROUND RAYMOND AND SHEARNESS 
POOL IS CLOSED. YOU CAN ENTER THE AUTO-TOUR ROUTE FROM ROUTE 9, ALLEE HOUSE 
ENTRANCE, AND GO TO FINIS AND AROUND BEAR SWAMP LOOP. 


> Here are the bird sightings for Bombay Hook for the week May
> 5 thru May 11, 2008.
> 
> American Bittern
> Osprey
> Merlin
> Ring-necked Pheasant
> Black-bellied Plover
> American Golden Plover
> Black-necked Stilt
> American Avocet
> Spotted Sandpiper
> Ruddy Turnstone
> Eastern Kingbird
> Sedge Wren
> Eastern Bluebird
> Wood Thrush
> Gray Catbird
> Yellow Warbler
> Black-throated Blue Warbler
> Yellow-rumped Warbler
> Black-throated Green Warbler
> Blackburnian Warbler
> Black-and-white Warbler
> American Redstart
> Prothonotary Warbler
> Ovenbird
> Northern Waterthrush
> Common Yellowthroat
> Hooded Warbler
> Wilson's Warbler
> Canada Warbler
> Yellow-breasted Chat
> Scarlet Tanager
> Blue Grosbeak
> Indigo Bunting
> Brown-headed Cowbird
> American Goldfinch

Tina Watson
Bombay Hook NWR


      
Subject: Bobolinks - Abbott's Mill
From: Jason Beale <jaybirdbeale AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 08:43:42 -0400
Hi,

A small flock of bobolinks is currently in the barley field at the corner of 
Abbott's Pond and Lindale Road.  They are singing and males are chasing other 
males.  The area they seemed to be concentrated at is the far end of the 
field. Head up Lindale to where the houses start on the left. The field on the 

right is recently plowed.  There is a small puddle in this field where 4 least 
sandpipers are feeding.  Other flooded fields in the area have had more leasts 
and black-bellied plovers.  Immediately adjacent is the barley where the bobos 
are.  Please park on the farm field sides if you come so as not to disturb the 
residents on the housing side.

Other notes from the past few days:
The female Bufflehead that has been seen since last wednesday was not 
sighted in a few scans of the pond.  However, with the increasing 
spatterdock, visibility is limited in some areas, so she may still be around.  
Johnson's Branch boardwalk has high water, parulas, ovenbirds, and acadian 
flycatchers.  A blackpoll was singing in the pine woods on sunday.  Rose-
breasted Grosbeak, Magnolia Warbler, and Black-throated Blue Warbler are 
other recent sightings.

Jason Beale
Abbott's Mill Nature Center
Milford, DE
Subject: Wood Sandpiper Video
From: JEFFERY DAVIS <jwdjwd67 AT MSN.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 23:31:22 -0400
I was finally able to upload the 20 sec. Vidiscoped Video I took Saturday of 
the Wood Sandpiper in DE. If you are interested check it out below. Make 
sure your volume is low. It was WINDY. :)

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: May 10th @ Prime Hook Trip from MD
From: David Smith <dcs_wamphyri AT YAHOO.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 20:09:23 -0400
Sorry for the delayed post-- new to Delaware Birds List and had to sign up. I, 
like so many others, traveled to Prime Hook to see the Wood Sandpiper. I don't 
bird Delaware often enough because of the distance, so this was actually my 
first time to Prime Hook NWR. I enjoyed my visit, though it was cut short due 
to other obligations. I thought I would post my list of 83 birds that I saw in 
a 

relatively short period of time, in case others were in the same boat as me and 

wanted to know what else they might find. Obviously, the highlight was the 
WOOD SANDPIPER, but I also had 13 warblers, including FOY NORTHERN 
WATERTHRUSH and BLACKPOLL, as well as a FOY SWAINSON'S THRUSH on the 
Blue Goose Trail. I also met some nice local birders who were participating in 
the Birdathon-- I unfortunately didn't catch their names- a man and 2 women. 
(If you're out there, I'd love to know your final day's count-- we talked at 
the 

Broadkill Beach area around 11AM on Saturday, and passed each other on the 
Blue Goose Trail later where I mentioned the Swainson's Thrush. Reply offline, 
if you'd like.)

Anyway, I'll be sure to revisit Prime Hook again soon-- enough rambling, here's 

the birds:

Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Lesser Scaup
Double-crested Cormorant
Great Blue Heron
Snowy Egret
Turkey Vulture
Osprey
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer
Black-necked Stilt - 2
Spotted Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Willet
Lesser Yellowlegs
Wood Sandpiper - 1
Least Sandpiper
Dunlin
Short-billed Dowitcher
Laughing Gull
Common Tern - 1
Forster's Tern
Black Skimmer
Mourning Dove
Great Horned Owl - 1
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Acadian Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
White-eyed Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo - 1
Red-eyed Vireo
American Crow
Fish Crow
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Veery - 1
Swainson's Thrush - 1
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
European Starling
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Magnolia Warbler - 1
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler - 1, heard only
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Worm-eating Warbler - 1
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush - 1
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow - can't believe how many there were!
Northern Cardinal
Indigo Bunting
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
American Goldfinch

David C. Smith
Owings Mills, MD
dcs_wamphyri AT yahoo.com
Subject: DOS Spring Roundup
From: John Janowski <jsbirders AT VERIZON.NET>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 19:04:13 -0400
A big THANK YOU to all who participated in Saturday's Spring Roundup! 



We dodged a bullet in terms of weather. Look what a 24 hour difference can do. 
I'm glad Woody stuck around, and Ed, if this your area, please document your 
sighting for the Ornithologist. 


 

Speaking of shorebirds, it's not every day that you can see displaying Spotted 
Sandpipers strut across the road or a Solitary Sandpipers defending its 
territory. Agricultural fields in my area from Reedy Point south to Odessa had 
a number of shorebirds this year. 




Good Birding!



John Janowski

Port Penn, DE
Subject: Wood Sandpiper present at 1:20 pm
From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 15:51:00 -0400
I was able to briefly relocate the Wood Sandpiper today at 1:20 for 
about a minute on the north side of the road between the north and 
second pullout.  I then spent another hour trying to relocate with 
another birder but it never came out from behind the vegetation.  
Needless to say it was miserable out with the high winds and rain.

I need to go back to work on Tuesday, but will try to get out around 
noon on Tuesday.

Ed Sigda
Milton, DE
www.primehookbirding.com
Subject: Spring Count Report - West of Seaford, North of Nanticoke River
From: "Lovelace Glen (DelDOT)" <Glen.Lovelace AT STATE.DE.US>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 11:28:31 -0400
Hello All,
 My day began with nearly hitting a skunk waddling down the road about a mile 
from the house. With that disaster averted, I began birding at first light. It 
started to rain at my second stop. Sigh. But in the rain I had my only BTB 
warbler of the day and Louisiana Waterthrush at a new location. I arrived at 
Pete Gum Wildlife Area about 6:30AM and the rains let up. But then I discovered 
that I had forgotten my boots. Instead, I had an old pair of shoes, so I put 
them on knowing I would get soaked getting to the river. It was worth it as I 
recorded my only DC Cormorant, Yellow-throated Vireo, Yellow-throated Warbler, 
Brown-headed Nuthatch, Summer Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and 
White-throated Sparrow of the day. For those of you that do not make it to this 
part of Delaware very often, you really should make the effort to visit Pete 
Gum sometime (Woodland Church Rd at the state line between Woodland and 
Galestown, MD). It is the northern-most spot on the Nanticoke! 

  to find Brown-headed Nuthatch and is home to all of the southern DE goodies.
 By 9 AM, I was soaked to the knees from walking through wet grass and a 
heavier shower came through, so I went home to dry off and warm up. After the 
rain, I checked the ponds on the farm. No shorebirds, but I found my only 
Baltimore Oriole in the yard, only Wild Turkey in the back field and my first 
Vesper and Grasshopper Sparrows of the day. Then I hit the fields described in 
the previous post. By now, my "schedule" was turned completely on its ear. I 
decided to make no attempt to salvage it and just birded where I was and wound 
up birding some different spots that yielded new birds (such as a mixed flock 
at Woodland Ferry x. Ellis Mill Rd with the day's only B&W Warbler or a 1PM 
Barred Owl below Woodland). Woodland itself yielded House Wren (locally 
uncommon, only two reliable spots), a single Ring-billed Gull, Forster's Tern, 
and a surprise LA Waterthrush. The stretch of woods below Woodland and Chapel 
Branch Wildlife Area proved to be lackluster, but was probabl! 

 y more a symptom of visiting between 1-3PM.
 The balance of the afternoon was spent scrounging around for puddles in fields 
(which remained scarce despite 1.5" rain), searching retention ponds and 
filling in some holes (Pigeon, Red-tail). First shorebird was a Greater Yellow 
in my ponds; the Solitary and Least on Neals School Rd in two miniscule 
puddles; all of the above plus Spotted in the retention ponds at Clearbrooke; 
and finally, 2 more Spotteds at Mearfield retention pond. Throw in a single 
Rough-winged Swallow at Hearns Pond and I had 99 species when I went home for 
supper around 7PM. 

 My night birding started with the Swift roost at the Middle School (only 105, 
formerly >300) and another unsuccessful search for Nighthawk (circa 2000-1 they 
were easy in multiple spots around town, but they seem to have disappeared). I 
then headed back downriver toward Woodland listening for nightjars and owls. I 
heard nothing, even at proven spots, for almost an hour. I had myself convinced 
it was too cold despite the moon now shining brightly (as it had cleared late 
afternoon), no wind and excellent listening conditions. Finally, I heard a Whip 
at 9:45PM on the south end of Bowman Rd. From then on, there was something at 
almost every stop until 11PM. I totaled 8 Whips, 1 Chuck (which I heard over 1 
mile away!), 2 Screech Owl, another Barred Owl, and, finally, a distant GH Owl 
at home as I was calling it a day. 

 I totaled 103 species (average is right at 100), over 100 for the first time 
since 2004. I thought this excellent for a day with bad weather, a blown 
schedule and very little migration. Numbers of some common species suffered 
from the schedule (not singing by the time I got to their strongholds), but 
others were well represented (i.e. 5 Vesper Sparrows). Misses were Kestrel, 
Bobwhite, Flicker, Blackpoll Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Savannah Sparrow, with 
Blackpoll being the worst. 

 Also, just from sightings incidental to counting, I tallied about 20 breeding 
confirmations. Most were easy ones (Starling, Grackle, Robin), but the Horned 
Lark and a Red-Shouldered Hawk carrying food were excellent. 


Good Birding,
Glen Lovelace III
Seaford, DE
Subject: Wood Sandpiper Guest Book Redux
From: Liz Gordon <elizabird AT MAC.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 10:54:10 -0400
Hello,

The last note was sent before I meant it to be.  Sorry.

Jeff Gordon and Sharon Lynn and I felt it  important to gather  
information ourselves to speak of the value to tourism from birding in  
Delaware...I started a  collection of names at Broadkill Beach's wood  
sandpiper spot, on a post with a sharpie and a plastic paint board.  
After talking to George R. Parsons, Professor from the College of  
Marine and Earth Studies & Department of Economics at the University  
of Delaware--who was unable to send grad students to collect names for  
him on the spur of the moment--I felt the information should be  
collected in more useable fashion than our kiosk.  Please if you  
missed filling in valuable information...such as your e-mail or snail  
mail address.   Please take the time to give us that info and your  
consent to share it with Prof. Parsons.

Using new technology I found I could have the spreadsheet fill out  
itself when someone answers the questions at the link provided below

 http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pO-QP66H7Lzj3lRWCnkl2Tw&email=true 



The information helps us in our quest to protect habitat by making  
birding habitat valuable in non birder's eyes.
Thanks for your help.

Liz Gordon
Lewes, DE
Subject: Not 1, but 2 Dickcissels, West of Seaford
From: "Lovelace Glen (DelDOT)" <Glen.Lovelace AT STATE.DE.US>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 09:05:21 -0400
Hello All,
 For the Spring Count on Saturday, I covered my usual area (since 1995) north 
of the Nanticoke River, west of Seaford. A full account will follow, but I 
wanted to first post about the birds of the day. 

 Directions first: Take DE 20 west from Seaford toward Reliance. At Reliance, 
turn left/south onto Woodland Ferry Rd (at Gethsemane Church) and go south 
about 1 mile until you see a lush pasture on the left/east side. The fields on 
both sides are part of an organic cattle operation. There was a Dickcissel here 
last May (through Memorial Day), but it did not seem to stay into June. 


 At this spot, there were about 40 Bobolinks (many singing - R2D2 with wings), 
2 Meadowlarks and 5 Grasshopper Sparrows. Dickcissel #1 was hanging out on the 
north end of the irrigation. There was also a Cooper's Hawk jostling with a 
crow over the distant woods. I'm not sure who was harassing who. Continuing 
down the road to the pasture before the intersection with Woodpecker Rd, there 
were more Grasshopper Sparrows, a Vesper Sparrow, and Horned Larks feeding 
young. I noticed a distant bird on a pole, so I moved east on Woodpecker Rd to 
get a closer look. It was a Grasshopper and then I discovered Dickcissel #2. It 
was sitting on the powerline, singing away, in front of the easternmost house 
on Woodpecker Rd (about 5-6 houses in a row from the crossroads). 

 Dickcissel #1 can also be seen from the opposite side of the field at the 
sharp corner in Old Carriage Rd (which is one road east, about 1 mile, of 
Woodland Ferry on DE 20). It is a closer view of the irrigation, but you cannot 
see as much of the whole field. 


 Whoever has this atlas block should really try to confirm Dickcissel!! (Btw, 
it is my block) 


Good Birding,
Glen Lovelace III
Seaford, DE
Subject: Wood Sandpiper at Prime Hook NWR Guest Book
From: Liz Gordon <lizzibird AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 05:55:35 -0700
Thanks  you for visiting and filling in this form.  This as 
confidential information.  
With your consent 
        


If you cannot view this form properly, you can fill it out here:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pO-QP66H7Lzj3lRWCnkl2Tw&email=true


DATE



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CITY



STATE



ZIP



COMMENTS
Your observations.


E-MAIL ADDRESS
Will not share without asking for explicit permission.


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Subject: TEST ONLY!!! DELETE PLEASE
From: Gardner Marie CE US <marie.gardner AT CIBA.COM>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 08:44:39 -0400
Testing only!! Please delete.
Thanks all !!!
Subject: Birding with the Knots, 5/10
From: Derek Stoner <derek AT DELAWARENATURESOCIETY.ORG>
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 23:42:05 -0400
5/10/08  -   4:30am -   The parking lot of the Super 8 Motel in Milford,
DE     

 

Bill Stewart, Judy Montgomery and I meet up with an excited group of
youth birders and their parents from Baltimore.  Members of The Friends
of the Red Knot, these enthusiastic kids came to Delaware for the
weekend to take part in the Spring Roundup and compete in the youth
division of the Delaware Bird-A-Thon.  

 

Our adventure begins on Big Stone Beach Road in the midst of the
always-wild Milford Neck Wildlife Area.  We immediately hear peenting
American Woodcock and a few distant Whip-poor-will's.  The kids chuckle
at our attempts to woo a Screech Owl with whinnies and trills. 

 

Further up the road, a Chuck-will's-widow sings its name dozens of times
before flying over our heads and landing in the road.  Illuminated in
the car headlights, the obliging nightjar gives everyone a "life look"
at a new bird.  This is the first night birding anyone in this group of
12 has ever done!

 

Dawn along Big Stone Beach is always a treat and this morning does not
disappoint.  We see Blue Grosbeaks, Wood Ducks, Great-horned Owls,
Ospreys, Black Skimmers, Eastern Kingbirds, and all sorts of other
birds. Little hands, ages 7 to 12, frantically spin the focus wheels on
binoculars.

 

Rain showers at Mispillion Harbor do not dampen the enthusiasm of the
group, as the kids queue up in front of the scopes for looks at American
Oystercatcher, Dunlin, Black-necked Stilt, Least Sandpiper, and many
other shorebirds. Of course, we also find a flock of their favorite
bird- the Red Knot.   

 

Around noon Jason Beale graciously leads us through the trails at
Abbott's Mill Nature Center, where we observe the lingering female
Bufflehead and enjoy incredible scope views of Prothonotary Warbler,
Indigo Bunting, Orchard Oriole, and other colorful songsters.   

 

Assessing the kids' Bird-A-Thon list in the early afternoon, 12 year-old
team captain Mike Hudson discovers that they have observed 96 species.
With the magical century mark in such close reach, we tell Mike that it
is time to head to a very special place: Prime Hook NWR.

 

Arriving at the now-even-more-famous Broadkill Beach Road, we help the
kids locate Northern Shoveler, Blue-winged Teal, and Red-breasted
Merganser in the south impoundment.   Turning our attention to the
north, we cross the road(very carefully with a group of 15 people!).

 

I plop the Leica scope in front of Mike, directing it at the patch of
marsh that contains a very special bird.  Passing up the offers of other
birders to look through their scopes, Mike(a very sharp-eyed birder)
picks out the Wood Sandpiper on his own.  This young man actually begins
twitching with excitement as he shares such a wonderful bird with
friends and family.  

 

"That's species number 100!" Mike proudly announces.  A Northern
Bobwhite sounds off to make for a fun 101st species.  But number 100
will always be a special bird for this group of young birders.  Reaching
a century on their first-ever Big Day and seeing a mega-rarity cannot be
topped.

 

In an appropriate stroke of fortune, the Wood Sandpiper sighting plays a
pivotal role in these young conservationists' efforts to help preserve
more land in the Prime Hook region for these remarkable shorebirds.
Reaching 100 is a goal that they achieved, and we are proud to help them
out. 

 

Thank you to all who took part in a very exciting week of birding in
Delaware.  The incredible reports of Bird-A-Thon teams, the
scintillating discovery of a rare bird(thank you Sharon!), and the great
tradition of the Spring Roundup combined to make this a very memorable
moment for birders in the First State.    

 

Good birding,

 

Derek Stoner

Hockessin, DE

 

 
Subject: Wilmington Big Day
From: "sally o'byrne" <salobyrne AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 22:23:05 -0400
Mike Smith and I did our Big Day Bird-A-Thon on Saturday with the help  
of Jim Lewis and Pete Ziegler, limiting our area to our Spring Round  
up area.  Our goal was to hit 100 species in the Geographic region of  
Wilmington and North.  Starting at 3:15 am looking for rails (getting  
sora and Virginia rail) at Russ Peterson refuge and ending at Ramsey  
Road with a Yellow throated vireo at 8 pm, we hit 102. And though we  
can't count it in any official way, we found a cockatiel in the woods  
at Russ Peterson, which was a first for that refuge and for me as  
well.  We spent the majority of our time at Russell Peterson and  
Alapocas, but also hit Brandywine Creek State Park, Ramsey Road, and  
the landfill.

   Needless to say, our numbers don't compare to some of the reports  
from earlier in the week, but we were very pleased to get at least two  
birds not reported by Forrest and Steve.  We got a bobolink in the  
vacant lot next to the Riverfront outlets, while a regatta and  
barbeque was going on close by, and we got a kingfisher as bird #101  
along the Brandywine near Ramsey Road.

Our memories of last year were that it was a peak day for migration  
and warblers were plentiful. Not so this year - we worked hard for  
every warbler.  The Russ Peterson refuge had a good variety of  
shorebirds, however, with a quite high numbers of solitary sandpipers,  
spotted sandpipers, and semi palmated plovers,  both yellowlegs and a  
variety of peeps and dunlin.

We saw a number of chicks - goslings at Blue Ball barn, Wood duck  
chicks at Brandywine Creek, and an incredibly cute killdeer chick at  
Fox Point.  There was a lingering gadwall and ruddy duck at the sewage  
treatment ponds, and the peregrine obliged us by sitting on his nest  
box on the Brandywine Building.  We guestimated 6000 (?) laughing  
gulls at the dump.  As far as the BBA goes, copulating laughers  
confirmed their breeding many times over ( and the one on top always  
seemed to be laughing)

All in all, a productive and fun day, and not a bad way to raise funds  
for a good cause.

Kudos to all who spent a day in the field for the Bird-A-Thon, and we  
can hold our collective breath to see if we reached our goal of  
$40,000.   Start collecting those pledges!

Sally O'Byrne



p.s. our complete list available from Mike Smith by request.
Subject: Re: Wood Sandpiper still present at 5:30 pm
From: Kurt Gaskill <KurtCapt87 AT VERIZON.NET>
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 21:32:05 -0500
Ed,

At least he identified the bird's name correctly!

Kurt "OUCH!" Gaskill

-----Original Message-----
From: Delaware Birding [mailto:de-birds AT Princeton.EDU] On Behalf Of Ed Sigda
Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 5:37 PM
To: de-birds AT Princeton.EDU
Subject: [de-birds] Wood Sandpiper still present at 5:30 pm

After a bit of early morning birding and a 3 hour nap I headed over to 
Broadkill Road at 3:30 for some lunch and watched the Wood Sandpiper 
until a little after 5:30. During my stay I also got to spend some time 
with a visiting birder that stepped out of his car with the keys in the 
ignition and then got locked out when his dogs ran to the window and 
locked the doors.  Several attempts were made to get the dogs to unlock 
the doors, but eventually this task was up to the local locksmith to 
perform.

I did notice during my stay that the bird has extended it's range to the 
area north of the second pull out.  Of course if the weather goes as 
planned for the next 24 hours the habitat along Broadkill Road is going 
to change as another 1-2 inches of rain is expected.  I would expect 
that the available habitat to the south will decrease further and 
increase on the north side of the road.

With the current forecast, and the need for some sleep, I will not be 
out early Monday morning, but I will try to get out later in the day to 
look for the bird.

The highlight of this morning's outing was a Reeve is a flooded field 
along Fowler Beach Road across from the refuge information kiosk.

Ed Sigda
Milton, DE
www.primehookbirding.com
Subject: Re: Wood Sandpiper 5:20 am Sunday
From: Kurt Gaskill <KurtCapt87 AT VERIZON.NET>
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 21:28:43 -0500
Bill,

Mea Culpa - Please let me claim the excuse of complete and utter lack of
sleep.  It is, of course, a Wood Sandpiper!  My humble apologies to all -
and yes Barry, do not wake up early!

Sheesh!  Talk about your embarrassments!  I will now act like an Ostrich and
bury my head into the sands of the Kalahari!

Kurt "oh no, not again!" Gaskill

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Stewart [mailto:hcf2 AT earthlink.net] 
Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 3:52 PM
To: Kurt Gaskill
Subject: Re: [de-birds] Wood Sandpiper 5:20 am Sunday

Kurt,

Just out of curiosity, why are you calling the Wood Sandpiper a Marsh  
Sandpiper?  I'll let you explain.

Bill Stewart






On May 11, 2008, at 5:24 PM, Kurt Gaskill wrote:

Delaware Birders,

Sherman Suter and I re-found the Marsh Sandpiper near 8am pretty much  
near
the spot described by Ed (below and in previous posts).  The bird was  
unseen
for about 45 min. Near 8am, Sherman and I found a suspicious tringa  
along
the SW edge of the south pond and it flew into the vegetation near  
the cars
- yet remained unseen!  We thought it may have slipped away, walking the
edge towards ocean side.  Sherman started searching in that  
direction.  Me?
I had a bit of water and leaned back against the car with the scope.  I
looked and saw the Marsh Sandpiper leave the brown vegetation and muddy
habitat and walk into the small bit of water near the white pole.  I got
everyone on the bird and it posed for a few minutes, and then flew,
apparently to the backside of the island of taller green and brown
vegetation (near the white pole) which cannot be seen from the road.  We
soon left for other locations.  As for plumage characteristics, in  
brief, it
was very close to the adult summer painting in nearly every way (crown,
nape, face, bill, back, scapulars, legs, throat, breast and belly as  
well as
in flight) found in Mullarney, Svensson, Zetterstrom and Grant,  
"Birds of
Europe" Princeton University Press, 2004 (a fine guide for Eurasian  
birds by
the way).

We saw Ed Sigda later and filled him in.  Later in the morning we met a
fellow who saw the bird later than us, perhaps after 9am or so.  The  
events
of this morning suggest a pattern and future observers may wish to  
check the
south pond as they wait out the bird.

Otherwise, nothing too much unusual at Broadkill Beach Rd.  Perhaps 3  
pairs
of Gadwall, several American Black Ducks, a few Mallards, 3 Northern
Pintail, a Northern Shoveler, many Green-winged Teal, 3 Blue-winged  
Teal,
and 3 Lesser Scaup.  Overflying Bobolink observed and "blinks" were  
heard
throughout our stay.

We found 18 Red Knots on Fowler's Beach Rd and another 30 at Mispillion
(sp?) inlet.  Royal and Caspian Terns at Fowler's Beach.  2 Pectoral
Sandpipers at the south pond on Broadkill Beach Rd.  If you let us tally
Black Skimmers as honorary shorebirds/waders, we ended our short day  
with 19
species in the group.

Thanks to Sharon Lynn and Ed and Frank and everyone else on finding and
staying on top of the Marsh Sandpiper.  Good birding to you all,

Kurt Gaskill



-----Original Message-----
From: Delaware Birding [mailto:de-birds AT Princeton.EDU] On Behalf Of Bill
Fintel
Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 7:08 AM
To: de-birds AT Princeton.EDU
Subject: [de-birds] Wood Sandpiper 5:20 am Sunday

Ed Sigda called to report that the Wood Sandpiper was present at 5:20  
this
morning on the North side of Broadkill Beach Road in the pool near  
the first
white PVC post. This is where it has been observed most frequently in  
recent
days.

Bill Fintel
Lewes, DE
Subject: Just starting out
From: Denise LaMont <lamontde AT GMAIL.COM>
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 19:44:18 -0400
Hello all,

I have been interested in birding for the past two years, it is only now
that I am taking myself seriously.  When I tell my friends that this is a
serious interest of mine I get "the look."  I suppose there aren't many 25yr
old birding enthusiasts?
Anyway, right to the question:  I really don't know where to start.  Does
anyone have any ideas for me?  Perhaps a book they recommend? Is there a
proper way and improper way to go bird watching.  Anything that I can do to
make the experience as gratifying as possible?  All I know is, when I drive
my car, I almost wreck it some days because I'm trying to follow a bird take
flight.  I think something more constructive would make other drivers and
myself more safe.

Denise
Bear, DE
lamontde AT gmail.com
Subject: Wood Sandpiper still present at 5:30 pm
From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM>
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 18:37:18 -0400
After a bit of early morning birding and a 3 hour nap I headed over to 
Broadkill Road at 3:30 for some lunch and watched the Wood Sandpiper 
until a little after 5:30. During my stay I also got to spend some time 
with a visiting birder that stepped out of his car with the keys in the 
ignition and then got locked out when his dogs ran to the window and 
locked the doors.  Several attempts were made to get the dogs to unlock 
the doors, but eventually this task was up to the local locksmith to 
perform.

I did notice during my stay that the bird has extended it's range to the 
area north of the second pull out.  Of course if the weather goes as 
planned for the next 24 hours the habitat along Broadkill Road is going 
to change as another 1-2 inches of rain is expected.  I would expect 
that the available habitat to the south will decrease further and 
increase on the north side of the road.

With the current forecast, and the need for some sleep, I will not be 
out early Monday morning, but I will try to get out later in the day to 
look for the bird.

The highlight of this morning's outing was a Reeve is a flooded field 
along Fowler Beach Road across from the refuge information kiosk.

Ed Sigda
Milton, DE
www.primehookbirding.com
Subject: Re: Wood Sandpiper 5:20 am Sunday
From: Kurt Gaskill <KurtCapt87 AT VERIZON.NET>
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 16:24:36 -0500
Delaware Birders,

Sherman Suter and I re-found the Marsh Sandpiper near 8am pretty much near
the spot described by Ed (below and in previous posts).  The bird was unseen
for about 45 min. Near 8am, Sherman and I found a suspicious tringa along
the SW edge of the south pond and it flew into the vegetation near the cars
- yet remained unseen!  We thought it may have slipped away, walking the
edge towards ocean side.  Sherman started searching in that direction.  Me?
I had a bit of water and leaned back against the car with the scope.  I
looked and saw the Marsh Sandpiper leave the brown vegetation and muddy
habitat and walk into the small bit of water near the white pole.  I got
everyone on the bird and it posed for a few minutes, and then flew,
apparently to the backside of the island of taller green and brown
vegetation (near the white pole) which cannot be seen from the road.  We
soon left for other locations.  As for plumage characteristics, in brief, it
was very close to the adult summer painting in nearly every way (crown,
nape, face, bill, back, scapulars, legs, throat, breast and belly as well as
in flight) found in Mullarney, Svensson, Zetterstrom and Grant, "Birds of
Europe" Princeton University Press, 2004 (a fine guide for Eurasian birds by
the way).

We saw Ed Sigda later and filled him in.  Later in the morning we met a
fellow who saw the bird later than us, perhaps after 9am or so.  The events
of this morning suggest a pattern and future observers may wish to check the
south pond as they wait out the bird.

Otherwise, nothing too much unusual at Broadkill Beach Rd.  Perhaps 3 pairs
of Gadwall, several American Black Ducks, a few Mallards, 3 Northern
Pintail, a Northern Shoveler, many Green-winged Teal, 3 Blue-winged Teal,
and 3 Lesser Scaup.  Overflying Bobolink observed and "blinks" were heard
throughout our stay.

We found 18 Red Knots on Fowler's Beach Rd and another 30 at Mispillion
(sp?) inlet.  Royal and Caspian Terns at Fowler's Beach.  2 Pectoral
Sandpipers at the south pond on Broadkill Beach Rd.  If you let us tally
Black Skimmers as honorary shorebirds/waders, we ended our short day with 19
species in the group.  

Thanks to Sharon Lynn and Ed and Frank and everyone else on finding and
staying on top of the Marsh Sandpiper.  Good birding to you all,

Kurt Gaskill



-----Original Message-----
From: Delaware Birding [mailto:de-birds AT Princeton.EDU] On Behalf Of Bill
Fintel
Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2008 7:08 AM
To: de-birds AT Princeton.EDU
Subject: [de-birds] Wood Sandpiper 5:20 am Sunday

Ed Sigda called to report that the Wood Sandpiper was present at 5:20 this
morning on the North side of Broadkill Beach Road in the pool near the first
white PVC post. This is where it has been observed most frequently in recent
days.

Bill Fintel
Lewes, DE
Subject: Bobolinks on Mother's Day
From: Bill Stewart <hcf2 AT EARTHLINK.NET>
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 13:23:15 -0400
Good afternoon and Happy Mother's Day to all the moms who read DE-Birds,

Running out quite early this beautiful morning to hit DBBA Block #2,  
I started at the turn on Ramsey Rd.  My first impression was the  
morning chorus was just rockin', something I haven't heard in a  
while.  Trying to divide the songs into species proved to be a  
challenge due to number of birds singing and the proverbial American  
Redstart's playing with their inconsistent repertoire!  With great  
delight, I heard that wonderful tinkling, R2D2 song of the Bobolink.   
I counted nine before they flew off to the huge Sycamore tree next to  
Ramsey's Farm driveway.  Other birds of note are listed below:

PEREGRINE FALCON
CAPE MAY WARBLER
Kentucky Warbler
Green Heron
Veery (love that song)
Louisiana Waterthrush
Prairie Warbler
Brown Thrasher

Finished the hour long survey with 55 species.

Good birding,

Bill Stewart
Subject: From Prime Hook to Sandy Hook (long)--Wood Sandpiper, Cape May Warbler etc, PICS
From: JEFFERY DAVIS <jwdjwd67 AT MSN.COM>
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 10:04:43 -0400
Long story about our long day of birding yesterday. Here goes:

Yesterday morning, we got up "dark and early" at 3:00 am so we could make it 
to Prime Hook by first light to see the little brown and white wader that 
has become such a celebrity. While Jeff drove, I used the dashboard light to 
work on the final paper I'd sworn that no migrant, no matter how far off 
course, would distract me from.

Two hours, seventeen minutes, two big cans of RockStar and half a page 
later, we arrived at Broadkill Beach Road where several other birders had 
already set up scope, and immediately got us on the WOOD SANDPIPER! (Thanks 
again!). We watched him energetically searching out his prey, traversing the 
long shallow pools and providing us with side-by-side comparisons with a 
SOLITARY SANDPIPER and a LESSER YELLOWLEGS, bobbing his little back end as 
he went. While Jeff snapped a couple hundred (mostly very blurry) pictures 
through the scope, I followed the songs of a BLUE GROSBEAK and NORTHERN 
BOBWHITE, but didn't get any looks. Finally, guiltily, I went back to the 
car where I managed to write another half a page before going back out to 
watch the sandpiper until the rain finally chased us away around 8:00 am.

Some other species seen/heard at Broadkill Road were (in order of 
appearance): COMMON GRACKLE, COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, 
CANADA GOOSE, OSPREY, NORTHERN SHOVELER, HERRING GULL, LAUGHING GULL, 
AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, AMERICAN CROW, GREAT EGRET, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, 
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, GREEN HERON, WILLET, SONG SPARROW, GLOSSY IBIS, SPOTTED 
SANDPIPER, BARN SWALLOW, LEAST SANDPIPER, FORSTER'S TERN, NORTHERN CARDINAL, 
WILSON'S SNIPE, MALLARD, YELLOW WARBLER.

Having gotten our "Big Get," we decided to push our luck and head to Sandy 
Hook NJ to try for the Wilson's Phalarope (a nemesis bird for us) and the 
Loggerhead Shrike that had been seen (our decision was partly based on the 
premise that the New Jersey Turnpike was the perfect distraction-free study 
location.) We needed to re-stock our supplies so we hit up the Wawa outside 
of Dover for some study aids (aka caffeine and sugar)--and saw a sad sight. 
Laid out on top of the trash can there was a dead Common Yellowthroat, 
presumably a window fatality. After Jeff convinced me not to bring him with 
us (a friend of mine is a taxidermist), we were off.

Four hours, two bottles of Diet Mountain Dew, one paragraph and a weary, 
teary-eyed throwdown (over barbecue!) later, we arrived in Sandy Hook, where 
we found that the birders far outnumbered the birds. Neither shrike nor 
phalarope had been seen. However, we were told that there were two CAPE MAY 
WARBLERS seen on the Fisherman's Trail, so that's where we headed. Pointed 
in the right direction by another helpful birder (Thanks again!), we spent 
about 45 minutes trying to find the warblers, and finally we did (at least, 
one of them)! We watched him feeding among the white (plum?) blossoms, his 
beak covered in pollen, and happily, Jeff got a few "glamour shots" of him. 
He was just gorgeous, and he was our second lifer for the day!

Other species seen/heard on Fisherman's Trail included: EASTERN TOWHEE, 
AMERICAN ROBIN, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW, GRAY CATBIRD, MOURNING DOVE, BARN 
SWALLOW, HERRING GULL, HOUSE WREN, NORTHERN CARDINAL, CAROLINA WREN, YELLOW 
WARBLER, OSPREY, HOUSE FINCH, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, LAUGHING GULL, GREAT 
BLACK-BACKED GULL, TREE SWALLOW, WHITE-EYED VIREO, WILLET, COMMON TERN, 
FIELD SPARROW, HOUSE SPARROW, and a warbler with a yellow rump which may or 
may not have been the second CAPE MAY reported (only Jeff got a too-brief 
glance at it).

Finally, we went back to the Audubon Center, where we watched the feeder 
birds, and others, which included: HOUSE FINCH, HOUSE SPARROW, RED-WINGED 
BLACKBIRD, COMMON GRACKLE, EUROPEAN STARLING, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW, SONG 
SPARROW, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, INDIGO BUNTING, AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, 
BRANT, HERRING GULL, AMERICAN ROBIN, AMERICAN CROW, RUBY-THROATED 
HUMMINGBIRD, BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, CEDAR WAXWING, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, 
RING-BILLED GULL, CHIPPING SPARROW, GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL, COMMON TERN and 
OSPREY.  Jeff got some nice pictures of the grosbeak, White-crowns and 
waxwings.

All pics are posted at http://www.flickr.com/photos/21068017 AT N07/ and I am 
working on uploading a video of the Wood Sandpiper (without much success--if 
I get it I'll post again).

Regards, and happy birding,

Amy and Jeff Davis
Downingtown, Chester County, PA

Checkout our bird photos at the link below:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/21068017 AT N07/
Subject: Wood Sandpiper 5:20 am Sunday
From: Bill Fintel <avian2 AT CE.NET>
Date: Sun, 11 May 2008 08:08:01 -0400
Ed Sigda called to report that the Wood Sandpiper was present at 5:20 this
morning on the North side of Broadkill Beach Road in the pool near the first
white PVC post. This is where it has been observed most frequently in recent 
days. 


Bill Fintel
Lewes, DE
Subject: Wood Sandpiper
From: Scott Baron <brnpelican AT yahoo.com>
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 21:24:02 -0700
The Wood Sandpiper at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge was still present at 
7pm when I left the area. It was feeding in the marsh about 75' from the left 
side of Broadkill Beach Rd. if you are coming from Rte. 1. For birders who 
haven't been to this spot, there is a wide shoulder on the left side of the 
road which gives you more room to set up a scope and look straight out into the 
marsh. 


Lingering waterfowl in the marsh on the other side of the road were a pair of 
Northern Pintail, 2 male Northern Shovelers and 3 scaup sp. 


Thanks to Ms. Sharon Lynn for finding this bird.

Scott Baron
Fairfax, Va. 


 
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Subject: Gordons Pond Spring Round-up + Prime Hook
From: Chris Bennett <cb2564 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 21:58:36 -0400
Dave Keck and I birded Gordons Pond, along Henlopen Avenue in Rehoboth and the 
Cape Henlopen Lands west of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal (primarily Wolfe Neck Road 
area) between 5:30 am and 3:30 pm today for the DOS Spring Round-up.? While the 
weather was fairly atrocious for most of the day - we found a nice collection 
of birds.? We ended our day with 118 species and just over 2000 individuals.? 
Highlights included 14 species of Wablers - Northern Parula, Yellow, 
Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Pine, 
Prairie, Blackpoll, Black and White, American Redstart, Ovenbird, Common 
Yellowthroat and Yellow-breasted Chat), 16 species of Shorebirds, 10 Species of 
Sparrows (Eastern Towhee, Chipping, Field, Savannah, Grasshopper, Saltmarsh 
Sharp-tailed, Seaside, Song, Swamp and White-throated), 75 Northern Gannet, 2 
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, both Orioles, 2 Merlins and a Peregrine.? Noteworthy 
were at least two species that went un-recorded - though I must 

 admit I'm a bit embarassed to divulge them - Northern Mockingbird and Indigo 
Bunting.? I was unsatisfied with 118 so made a few quick stops on the way home 
at Prime Hook and picked up an additional 16 species - Wood Sandpiper, Northern 
Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler and Lesser Scaup (dabbling with 
the shovelers) at Broadkill Beach Road, Mute Swan (1), Red-breasted Merganser, 
American Avocet, Sanderling, White-rumped Sandpiper (1) and Great Horned Owl at 
Fowlers Beach, Prothonotary Warbler along Deep Branch Road, Red Knot at 
Slaughter?Beach (4)?and finally (!) both Northern Mockingbird and Indigo 
Bunting. 


Complete list for Cape area is below.




2????????? SNOW GOOSE

37??????? CANADA GOOSE

1????????? AMERICAN BLACK DUCK

16??????? MALLARD

4????????? NORTHERN BOBWHITE

7????????? COMMON LOON

75??????? NORTHERN GANNET

60??????? DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT

2????????? GREAT BLUE HERON

5????????? GREAT EGRET

25??????? SNOWY EGRET

1????????? TRICOLORED HERON

3????????? GREEN HERON

45??????? GLOSSY IBIS

1????????? BLACK VULTURE

10??????? TURKEY VULTURE

8????????? OSPREY

1????????? NORTHERN HARRIER

2????????? MERLIN

1????????? PEREGRINE FALCON

6????????? CLAPPER RAIL

36??????? BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER

27??????? SEMIPALMATED PLOVER

1????????? PIPING PLOVER

1????????? KILLDEER

6????????? AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER

2????????? BLACK-NECKED STILT

20??????? GREATER YELLOWLEGS

210????? LESSER YELLOWLEGS

2????????? SOLITARY SANDPIPER

15??????? WILLET

23??????? SPOTTED SANDPIPER

1????????? RUDDY TURNSTONE

122????? SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER

65??????? LEAST SANDPIPER

150????? DUNLIN

180????? SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER

47??????? LAUGHING GULL

13??????? BONAPARTE'S GULL

2????????? RING-BILLED GULL

20??????? HERRING GULL

20??????? GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL

6????????? COMMON TERN

25??????? FORSTER'S TERN

20??????? LEAST TERN

2????????? BLACK SKIMMER

2????????? ROCK DOVE

17??????? MOURNING DOVE

1????????? EASTERN SCREECH-OWL

3????????? RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD

1????????? BELTED KINGFISHER

6????????? RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER

2????????? DOWNY WOODPECKER

3????????? NORTHERN FLICKER 

5????????? EASTERN WOOD PEWEE

6????????? GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER

1????????? EASTERN KINGBIRD

3????????? WHITE-EYED VIREO

1????????? BLUE-HEADED VIREO

4????????? RED-EYED VIREO

10??????? BLUE JAY

10??????? AMERICAN CROW

2????????? FISH CROW

10??????? HORNED LARK

3????????? PURPLE MARTIN

14??????? TREE SWALLOW

60??????? BARN SWALLOW

35??????? CAROLINA CHICKADEE

20??????? TUFTED TITMOUSE

5????????? RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH



10??????? BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH

5????????? CAROLINA WREN

1????????? MARSH WREN

7????????? BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER

1????????? VEERY

3????????? WOOD THRUSH

60??????? AMERICAN ROBIN

35??????? GRAY CATBIRD

2????????? BROWN THRASHER

16??????? EUROPEN STARLING

4????????? NORTHERN PARULA

1????????? YELLOW WARBLER

2????????? BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER

29??????? YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER

3????????? BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER

2????????? BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER

12??????? PINE WARBLER

1????????? PRAIRIE WARBLER

2????????? BLACKPOLL WARBLER

5????????? BLACK AND WHITE WARBLER

2????????? AMERICAN REDSTART

7????????? OVENBIRD

51??????? COMMON YELLOWTHROAT

1????????? YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT

1????????? SCARLET TANAGER

20??????? EASTERN TOWHEE

4????????? CHIPPING SPARROW

4????????? FIELD SPARROW

16??????? SAVANNAH SPARROW

2????????? GRASSHOPPER SPARROW

2????????? SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED SPARROW

20??????? SEASIDE SPARROW

1????????? SONG SPARROW

1????????? SWAMP SPARROW

3????????? WHITE-THROATED SPARROW

25??????? NORTHERN CARDINAL

2????????? ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK

2????????? BLUE GROSBEAK

75??????? RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD

4????????? EASTERN MEADOWLARK

15??????? COMMON GRACKLE

1????????? BOAT-TAILED GRACKLE

20??????? BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD

3????????? ORCHARD ORIOLE

3????????? BALTIMORE ORIOLE

2????????? HOUSE FINCH

17??????? AMERICAN GOLDFINCH

10??????? HOUSE SPARROW

Chris Bennett
Milford, DE
Subject: Wood Sandpiper still present at 5:00pm
From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM>
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 18:32:56 -0400
The Wood Sandpiper was still present at 5:00pm when I stopped by before 
heading home for the evening after a long day of birding.

Ed Sigda
Milton, DE
www.primehookbirding,com
Subject: More Wood Sandpiper photos, plus 5/7/08 Big Day report
From: Steve Collins <dcollins AT UFL.EDU>
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 14:35:51 -0400
If youre interested in seeing even more Wood Sandpiper photos  I have 
posted some photos from Friday afternoon here, including an in-flight 
shot showing the white rump.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/odephoto/archives/date-taken/2008/05/09/detail/

If a long Big Day narrative is not the kind of thing that interests you, 
then please stop reading now.

Forrest Rowland invited me to do a Big Day on Wednesday (5/7/08) in my 
favorite birding destination: Delaware. I obviously could not refuse, so 
I took off work and headed to DE at 12:30am to meet up with Forrest at 
2am. We birded from 2am to 8pm and got 199 species - tying the Delaware 
Big Day Record set in 1997. There were a few misses (ahem, Belted 
Kingfisher!!), but we lucked out and had a really great day birding.

We started the day (night?) in Thousand Acre Marsh, where we quickly 
realized the night was likely to be a good night. Winds were 3-4 mph out 
of the southwest and listening conditions were good. We heard Canada 
Goose, Great Blue Heron, Virginia Rail and American Coot (our only coot 
of the day). At another location Sora and Common Moorhen sounded off 
within minutes of our arrival. One could say that Griers Pond was 
especially quiet. Actually it wasnt quiet at all, as the Swamp Sparrows 
and Marsh Wrens were singing up a storm and a Barred Owl called, but it 
was Least Bittern quiet. We spent at least 15 minutes here, cocking our 
ears in every conceivable angle in hopes of hearing the classic 
ku-ku-ku of the Least Bittern. After giving each side of the pond 
time, we were thinking about where else we could possibly get Least 
Bittern and were about to leave. Then we both heard it! Success!

While driving south on Route 9, six inches of water on the road caused 
some excitement, as we barreled directly through it. It was definitely 
due to the tide, and we were in a low spot: why not try for King Rail? 
While sitting in the middle of the road, we both jumped out of the car 
and lo and behold, a King Rail sounded off. Serious luck.

To say that the Bullfrogs and Green Frogs at Finnis Pool are loud is 
like saying that a diesel truck engine is loud: Loud may be an 
inadequate word. Luckily we were able to pick out a calling Eastern 
Screech-Owl, distant twittering of an American Woodcock, and flyover 
American Redstart and Blackpoll Warblers. Birds were on the move.

Port Mahon was almost rail-less with the exception of Virginia. Clapper 
Rails were quiet. Weird. Seaside and Swamp Sparrows, Marsh Wrens and a 
distant Yellow-breasted Chat were singing. A flyby Black-crowned Night 
Heron let out a single kaw, and a Wood Thrush, Black-throated Blue, 
Blackburnian, and several Palm Warblers called while flying overhead. 
The promise of neotropical migrants in the morning was exhilarating.

We were hoping for Black Rail at Pickering Beach, where Andy Ednie and I 
had heard them on Saturday night, but they may have moved on. We did 
pick up Tree Swallows flying around the towns lights, a flyover 
Swainsons Thrush (our only of the day) and another Yellow-breasted Chat.

Milford Neck was our nightjar spot, and it did not disappoint. 
Chuck-wills-widows and then Whip-poor-wills were calling from several 
locations. American Woodcocks seemed to be everywhere  twittering away 
 while a few were peenting. The mosquitoes were voracious and kept us 
dancing around. Dawn was approaching and we headed toward the marsh, 
where even more mosquitoes greeted us. Boat-tailed Grackles were 
immediately apparent, and then Northern Bobwhite and Wild Turkey called 
from the woods edge. Yes! After a quick tally, I realized we had 62 
species already by dawn. Not a bad night.

Milford Neck was really birdy, and Im glad we picked this as our 
dawn-chorus spot. Nelsons Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 
and Sedge Wren called from the short marsh, all three being our only 
birds of the day. The woods were alive with birdsong, and here we picked 
up Kentucky, Nashville, Yellow-throated, Prairie, and Black-and-White 
Warblers, plus Ovenbird and Northern Waterthrush. A certain vireo 
sounded interesting and Forrest suspected Philadelphia. It sang; we 
listened. It sang and we played the song for comparison: it was dead-on. 
Wow!

By 6:15 we had 94 species, and we moved on to Mispillion Lighthouse. The 
idea was that we could get Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow while they 
were still singing. The idea backfired. The marsh was filled with 
sparrows . . . Seaside Sparrows. There were likely hundreds singing from 
all areas around the marsh, which unfortunately muffled the sounds of 
any potential Saltmarsh Sparrows. The Seaside Sparrow spectacle was 
immediately overshadowed by the shorebird spectacle. Shorebirds moved in 
waves across nearly every exposed mud surface: Greater Yellowlegs, 
Willets, Semipalmated Plovers, Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers, 
Short-billed Dowitchers, Dunlin and a few Black-necked Stilts. While 
scoping from the DuPont nature center, we found Sanderling, Ruddy 
Turnstone, Red Knots, American Oystercatchers, and a White-rumped 
Sandpiper among the thousands of Dunlin. We couldnt pick out any 
Lesser-black Backed Gulls, and after spending too much time enjoying 
this scene, we needed to move.

The grasslands in the vicinity of Hunting Quarter Road proved a wise 
morning destination: Grasshopper, Savannah and Vesper Sparrows, Eastern 
Meadowlark and Horned Larks were singing. No Bobolinks, but we couldnt 
complain about our luck so far.

Redden State Forest held the targeted Red-headed Woodpeckers and Summer 
Tanagers, in addition to Worm-eating, Black-throated Green, 
Yellow-throated, Kentucky, Pine, and Black-and-White Warblers, Cedar 
Waxwings, and Hairy and Pileated Woodpecker. Two flyover Common Loons 
were a surprise. 131 species by 8:24am.

We switched up the plan, and headed to Prime Hook instead of doing that 
in the afternoon. While changing the schedule could spell disaster, the 
morning Prime Hook run was excellent. We had Veery standing in the 
middle of the road at the entrance. I told Forrest to stop the car, I 
heard something similar to a Hooded Warbler. We waited, while only a 
Red-eyed Vireo sang. I started to doubt myself, and we were about to 
move on when it sang out, Wheet-o, Wheet-o, Wheet-ee-o. Forrest 
replied, Oh, so you mean the bird that sounds exactly like a Hooded 
Warbler!

The boardwalk trail produced a few good birds, most notably a beautiful 
adult White-crowned Sparrow (thank you!), Blue-headed Vireo, 
Prothonotary, Chestnut-sided, Blackpoll and Magnolia Warblers.

The Broadkill impoundment was in bad light, so we started IDing distant 
ducks mostly by shape: Gadwall, Mallard, Black Duck, Green-winged Teal, 
Northern Pintail, Red-breasted Merganser. These turned out to be some of 
the only waterfowl of the day, but where were the Blue-wings? While 
scoping shorebirds, I noticed an unusual shorebird in the far southeast 
corner of the southern impoundment with the Green-winged Teal. It looked 
similar in shape to a yellowlegs, but the bill wasnt right for either. 
I asked Forrest to take a look, and he quickly realized it was a Ruff. I 
took another look and the beige-y color, posture, and bill shape all 
were spot-on for Ruff (Reeve). Excellent! We actually didnt notice the 
Wood Sandpiper, nor did we know about it, though in hindsight, I cant 
eliminate the possibility that we were looking right at it as we drove 
by. We hoped for diving ducks in the bay. The bay was empty with the 
exception of Laughing Gulls, though we did hear a Song Sparrow singing, 
our first (and only?) of the day.

We headed to Cape Henlopen with 155 species. No Yellow-crowned Night 
Heron at a brief stop in Lewes on the way, and no Bufflehead in the 
ponds near the entrance. Drat. Herring Point was mostly birdless, though 
after a few minutes we did luck out with Common, Least and Royal Tern 
flybys. The jetty below had three Spotted Sandpipers. I got a kick out 
of watching Forrest fight with the no-see-ums. We made a quick stop at 
the campground, though besides a Pine Warbler and some Robins, it was 
quiet. I guess Forrest forgot his Crossbill pheromone. At the nature 
center, the feeders were empty, so we walked the trail behind them. 
Quiet, though it was midday. I was thinking some Red-breasted Nuthatches 
might still be hanging around, since I had heard one in Baltimore Co the 
day before. After a few minutes both Brown-headed and a Red-breasted 
Nuthatch sounded off. Serious luck.

At the Point we found a huge flock of Brant hugging the icebreaker, and 
we scoped Common, Forsters and Royal Terns near the point. We tried to 
turn one of the Royals into a Caspian, but it wasnt to be. Piping 
Plover was notably absent. We walked down to the bayside fence. Still no 
Piping Plover. We knew time was critical, but I knew we would be kicking 
ourselves if we left without the plover, so we hiked to the ocean side. 
Again, this turned out to be a great decision. We had a flyover Merlin, 
Red-throated Loon and flyby Black Scoters. While squinting into the heat 
haze for the hoped-for Piping Plover, Forrest noticed the 2nd-year 
Lesser Black-backed Gull at our feet. Then after a few minutes time, a 
Piping Plover came into view.

We headed south to Indian River inlet with 170 species before noon. At 
Savages Ditch rd, we found our first Great Egret of the day, though no 
Little Blue or Tricolored Herons. The inlet proved to be full of boaters 
and was almost a wasted effort if it werent for two juvenile Great 
Cormorants swimming around the north jetty. No Bonapartes Gull and no 
Saltmarsh Sparrows or Tricolored Heron on the bay side. We stopped by 
New Road on the way north hoping for a bay duck of any kind, though we 
only had a breeding-plumaged Common Loon.

Silver Lake had Mallards and a few Canada Geese  and one female Ruddy 
Duck. It was starting to get difficult to add new birds.

Fowler Beach did not produce the hoped-for Belted Kingfisher or any new 
ducks, though it did have a considerable number of Black-bellied 
Plovers, with at least 2 American Golden-plovers mixed in. The Great 
Horned Owl chicks on the platform are getting rather big.

The north pond at Ted Harvey did not have Bonapartes Gull or Tricolored 
Heron, though it did have Pectoral Sandpiper.

At Bombay Hook, we had a number of necessary targets and we got nearly 
all of them: Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow, American Avocet, 
Ring-necked Pheasant, and Yellow-crowned Night Heron.

This is when we heard about the Wood Sandpiper, but we both agreed we 
would rather finish the Big Day with the planned route.

Woodland Beach had the Snow Geese and Greater-white Fronted Geese. 
Excellent. 182 species by 4:01pm.

I was telling Forrest that I have had Bank Swallow at the first of two 
bridges over Appoquinink Creek and suspected they may breed somewhere in 
the area, so we stopped there. Cliff Swallows were readily evident, when 
a Bank Swallow flew high over us. 184.

We headed back to Thousand Acre Marsh hoping for Peregrine Falcon, an 
attempt that proved unsuccessful when Forrest tried last year. We 
scanned the bridge over the canal from all angles without any birds. 
When we had nearly given up and were ready to leave, a Peregrine Falcon 
flew directly over our heads.

We had very little time to spare, but we decided to risk a run to Dragon 
Run park for Mute Swans. Dragon Run was Mute Swanless, but we did have 
flyby Wood Ducks and then an adult Little Blue Heron flew high overhead. 
I couldnt believe our luck.

We headed to White Clay Creek, lucked out with Cattle Egrets on the way, 
and had 188 species by 5:15pm. I dont think we could have had better 
luck at White Clay Creek; it seemed like someone was throwing all of our 
target birds at us. We got Louisiana Waterthrush, Yellow-throated Vireo, 
Northern Rough-winged Swallow, and White-breasted Nuthatch  all of 
which we expected. The lucky birds were a flyover Sharp-shinned Hawk, an 
adult Coopers Hawk racing through the woods directly in front of us, and 
Warbling Vireo. At one point we thought we had Cerulean Warbler singing, 
and Forrest pointed out that the cadence was right. It was almost 
dead-on. Almost. I wasnt convinced, and we waited to get a look at the 
bird. It had a wing bar, but also had a yellow and orange throat: It was 
a Parula. I wonder if after years of unscrupulous birders taping for 
Cerulean Warbler, the local Parulas didnt pick up and try to imitate.

While at Tweeds Mill Rd, I pondered, What else is left that we could 
possibly still get? How about Rose-breasted Grosbeak? A Rose-breasted 
Grosbeak responded by singing. How about Blue-winged Warbler? A few 
minutes later a Blue-winged Warbler was singing. It was almost creepy. 
The last two birds of the day were an almost unexpected Willow 
Flycatcher, and at least two very unexpected Gray-cheeked Thrushes. 199 
species by 7:15pm. While walking back towards the car, the only thing 
left was Belted Kingfisher. We waited until sunset at 8pm, though the 
Kingfisher never obliged.

This photo was taken at 8pm in White Clay Creek when we called it quits.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/odephoto/2476484919/

Below is our bird list for the day and some summary totals:

25 Shorebird sp.
Vireo, Nuthatch, and Swallow sweep.
26 Warbler sp.
12 Sparrow sp.
only 14 Waterfowl sp. It's hard to find waterfowl in May - this probably 
hurt us the most.

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


Cheers,
Steve Collins
Towson, MD
Subject: Wood Sandpiper
From: Sharon Lynn <slynn001 AT COMCAST.NET>
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 10:31:46 -0400
The Wood Sandpiper has been present all morning. Several birders saw it near 
the white pole on the left side of Broadkill Beach RD(North side). 


Sharon Lynn
Rehoboth Beach
Subject: Wood Sandpiper present at 5:30 am (Saturday)
From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM>
Date: Sat, 10 May 2008 06:19:03 -0400
Wood Sandpiper located on North side, several birders already present.

Ed Sigda
Milton, DE
www.primehookbirding.com
Subject: Wood Sandpiper present until 6:30 pm
From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM>
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 21:00:08 -0400
The Wood Sandpiper was present until 6:30 pm this evening when it flew 
off to parts unknown.

Ed Sigda
Milton, DE
www.primehookbirding.com
Subject: Wood Sandpiper photos on DOSBirds.org
From: Homsey <homsey AT COMCAST.NET>
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 20:57:28 -0400
If anyone wants to see photos of the Wood Sandpiper, there are several on the 
DOS website, in the photogallery (www.DOSBirds.org/photogallery). 

Chris Bennett and Kirsten and Hal Snyder have kindly uploaded some nice shots.

-Andrew Homsey
Kennett Square
Subject: Wood Sandpiper present Fri 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM
From: Rick Cheicante <rickcheicante AT CS.COM>
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 19:55:01 -0400
The Wood Sandpiper showed well, and rewarded many this Fri. from 10:30 AM -
 2:30 PM.  It worked the south impoundment along the shore from the west 
end to about three-fourths the distance to the east end. The bird also made 
two flights to the north impoundment landing and feeding in the exposed 
muddy areas at the west end. All near the road and very viewable.

At 10:30, the Wood Sandpiper appeared mainly with a Lesser Yellowlegs, 
eventually joining numerous Least and Spotted (particularily in the west end). 


At 11:30 AM, I was the only person there as heavy rains hit the area. After 
the rains (and deluges)(...and drying of optics), the number of shorebirds 
increased dramatically (Greater Yellowlegs, Dunlin, Semipalmated Plover, 
dowitchers, etc...and Solitary Sandpiper). Finding the bird during brief lapses 

became funner with the extra shorebirds about. 

By noon, folks started arriving again and the Wood Sandpiper was very 
cooperative staying along the shore of the south impoundment.  The bird 
seemed less skiddish than earlier, providing close-ups, and some short flights 
showing the white rump.  Does quite a bit of Spotted Sandpiper-like "tail-
bobbing" too. The bill and lack of extension in the primaries are quite 
evident. 

In today's poor to OK light, the legs appeared a dullish green, particularly 
when 

standing next to either of the yellowlegs. 

To incoming birders, please heed Ed's advice regarding the roadway.  Park well 
off the road, and definitely don't stand or form groups in the road.  Nice 
chatting with you Ed S.- good luck to all this weekend!

Rick Cheicante
Harford County
Bel Air, MD 
Subject: Waterthrush on a wet day
From: Derek Stoner <derek AT DELAWARENATURESOCIETY.ORG>
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 16:56:55 -0400
Today at the Ashland Nature Center, two male Northern Waterthrush sang
throughout the day from the wet woods alongside the marsh.  

 

We watched these birds chase each other and establish temporary
territory boundaries, perhaps defending the best concentrations of tasty
water-logged caterpillars.  A Louisiana Waterthrush calling from along
the Red Clay Creek allowed for a nice comparison of the two Waterthrush
vocalizations.

 

A pair of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds actively fed at the nectar feeders,
frequently puffing up and shaking off their rain-soaked feathers.  The
male performed the frenetic U-shaped courtship flight above the perched
female, with his bright red gorget flashing in the otherwise gloomy low
light.  

 

Good birding,

 

Derek Stoner

Hockessin, DE

 

 
Subject: Re: Wood Sanpiper
From: ksnyder <sny AT bee.net>
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 15:10:25 -0400
We headed down to Prime Hook after work on Thursday and got to see the Wood 
Sandpiper. While the light was fading and the bird was apparently more 
distant than it had been during the week, we were thrilled to see it. We 
have just posted some (sorry, rather poor) pictures to DOS (pics may be up 
this evening) but hopefully every view is helpful, especially for those who 
can't make it to Prime Hook. As for Chris Starling's question about east 
coast records, "Shorebirds" by Hayman, Marchant, Prater says it was see in 
New York State October,1907 and the Islands of Bermuda and Barbados October, 
1955. What a treat for us! It also says, JFYI, "Often abundant in 
Sub-Saharan Africa and India."
Please remember good birding ethics in the field so that others can enjoy 
our Delaware birds! All the best, K Snyder 
Subject: Wood Sandpiper present at 1:30 - please be safe
From: Ed Sigda <sigdae AT PRIMEHOOKBIRDING.COM>
Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 13:52:37 -0400
The Wood Sandpiper was still present at 1:30 today in the same general 
area as the past few days.  Please note that due to the rain the amount 
of habitat on the south side has decreased, but it has increased on the 
north side so it might expand it's range.

Please be safe while observing the bird.  I heard of a near miss this 
morning from a local resident when a birder ran across the road "for his 
bird book" without looking first.  Needless to say the locals are quite 
interested in whats going on.  While they are used to lots of stopping 
cars during the winter months with the Snow Geese, they can't 
necessarily see what the event is this time.  Please take the time to 
let any of the locals know what's going on.  The ones that I have talked 
to so far seemed to like knowing that they have a celebrity in town.  
Let's keep that positive attitude going.

Ed Sigda
Milton, DE
www.primehookbirding.com
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



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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

       
---------------------------------

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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