Delmarva Birding Weekend April 25-27

March 31, 2003

by Dave Wilson. (Wilson is the outreach coordinator for the Maryland Coastal Bays Program.)

This year's Delmarva Birding Weekend April 25-27 will offer no less than 16 hiking, biking and canoeing trips throughout the Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia eastern shore.

Organized by Delmarva Low Impact Tourism Experiences and facilitated by the Coastal Bays Program and other groups, the highly touted weekend of birding and nature tours suits outdoor enthusiasts of any kind and is perfect for the clueless to professional birder.

The coastal bays are considered to be of international significance with some 380+ species sighted in the concentrated area. Bald eagles,
prothonotary warblers, owls, peregrine falcons, loons, and pileated woodpeckers are just a few of each year's highlights. This year, a reptile and amphibian search will be offered for the first time at Adkins Mill Pond as well as a Bird by Bike on Assateague trip. Each tour is guided by one or more professional birders.

Canoe and kayak trips this year include the "Prothonotary Paddle," a 4-hour trip on the Pocomoke River, Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. and "Warblers on the Water," a 2-hour trip on Nassawango Creek, Saturday and Sunday at the same time. Highlights of these trips include prothonotary warblers, woodpeckers, barred owls, bald cypress, and otters. "Heron Happiness," a 3-hour canoe tour in the coastal bays, Sunday at 8:30 a.m. will boast herons, egrets, ibis, pelicans, terrapins.

For those who prefer a motor to a paddle, the Shore Bird Explorer will offer a 2-hour trip in the northern bays behind Assateague, Saturday, at 2 p.m. On the same day, the "Peregrine Falcon Watch" will include a boat trip and hike at Deal Island, Saturday at 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
For pelican and waterfowl lovers, the all-day "Smith Island Pelican Cruise" embarks to Smith Island and Martin NWR, Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and includes a boxed lunch. Most on these trips will see pelicans, egrets, herons, waterfowl, glossy ibis, oystercatchers, loons, terns and wild ponies. Lucky ones will see peregrine falcons and black-necked stilts.

Daytime isn't the only time to hear and view wildlife. On Saturday at 6 p.m., "Night Birds of the Marsh" will take participants on a 3-hour stroll
at EA Vaughn Wildlife Management Area in southern Worcester. Later, "Assateague Night Sounds" kicks off at 8 p.m. on Assateague Island and for owl enthusiasts, the "Owl Prowl" at Pemberton Park begins Saturday at 8 p.m. Highlights for these trips include rails, bitterns, owls, wrens, frogs and stars. If exotic animals suit your fancy check out the "Night Life at the Salisbury Zoo" trip Saturday at 7 p.m. Guides will have no trouble finding jaguars, alligators, bobcats, and wild owls.

Up to your beak in birds? Check out the "Herp Hike at Twilight" at Adkins Mill Pond, Saturday at 7 p.m. Frogs, salamanders, toads, lizards, turtles and snakes will make for a slithery change of venue.

For some good calorie burning, "Warblermania"a 5-hour stroll along Nassawango Creek, Saturday & Sunday, at 6 a.m. is a birder's dream. Prothonotary and hooded warblers, parulas, gnat catchers, vireos, and woodpeckers abound. For those not-so-early risers, "Neotropicals along the Nassawango" will compliment this trip Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. For nesting eagles, "Eagle and Others" is recommended at Pemberton Park. The 2.5-hour jaunt takes place Saturday and Sunday at 7 a.m.

The First State offers some excellent birding also. "Delaware's Coastal Birding Delights," a 3-hour tour along Assawoman Wildlife Area bays, kicks off Sunday 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Loons, eagles, and brown-headed nuthatches make this trip a winner.

For cycling enthusiasts, "Bird by Bike" is new this year and includes a 3-hour tour on Assateague, Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Ponies, waterfowl and deer will slow the ride.

To supplement the weekend, Friday from 6:30-9 p.m., Mark Hoffman, Associate Director of the MD Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service will discuss rare birds of Maryland at the OC Convention Center with slides of 70 of our rarest species. Mark is a life-long birder and currently holds the record for the most species seen in Worcester County and in Maryland. This event includes dinner.

Then, on Saturday from 4-6 p.m., meet the guides and participants and share stories from the weekend trips at the Angler Restaurant on Talbot Street.

Those interested can call 800-852-0335 or go to skipjack.net/le_shore/birdingweekend to inquire or sign up. Trips are filling fast and several are already full. All trips take place April 25-27.

The spectacular weekend is made possible with help from the Salisbury Zoo, Worcester, Somerset, and Wicomico Tourism, the Ward Museum, Maryland DNR, the Coastal Bays Program, Assateague Island National Seashore and Rural Development Center.

Part of the National Estuary Program, the Maryland Coastal Bays Program is a cooperative effort between Worcester County, Berlin, and Ocean City which have come together to produce the first ever management plan for their bays. Home    |    About Us    |    Contact Us    |    Site Directory Copyright 2003 - Maryland Coastal Bays Program Questions? Email: mcbp@mdcoastalbays.org