BCDC Field Trip to Delaware - January 13, 2018

Snowy Owl along Port Mahon Rd

          Today's weather was much nicer then the originally scheduled trip on New Year's Day. Today was a balmy 25 degrees versus the 0 degrees on New Year's. However, we still had to contend with winds up to 30 mph which made many participants, including myself, very tearful. I want to thank Nick Pulcinella for providing all the photos below with the exception of the American Bittern.

           We left McDonald's at 6AM sharp and arrived at Port Mahon Rd on schedule to see the Short-eared Owls, which was our target bird. But as we were driving along the road, I spotted what I thought was an American Bittern flush up from the phragmites along the roadside. A hundred yards further we had to make a sudden stop, when to our surprise there was an American Bittern standing right in the middle of the road. The bittern stood there for everyone to admire and photograph although the lighting was very difficult as it was still quite dark.

 

American Bittern in the headlights

A better photo of bittern standing in headlights

           As we moved on Nick and I both noticed movement about 200 yards ahead. We put up the binoculars and were treated to a gorgeous Snowy Owl standing on the rocks right next to the road.

Snowy Owl

           From Port Mahon Rd we did a quick drive along Cartanza Rd and had a nice Northern Harrier perform it's aerial agility. Making another quick stop at Big Stone Beach we only added Red-bellied Woodpecker and Yellow-rumped Warbler. 
 

Red-bellied Woodpecker

           We than drove to Indian River Inlet trying to arrive in time for an outgoing tide. By the time we reached the inlet the winds were howling at about 30mph and I could tell the participants were hesitant to get out of their cars. Setting up the scopes along the waterway the first thing I noticed was the dearth of gulls and ducks. This is usually an area with a profusion of Bonaparte's Gulls and today we found only two. 

           However, with a little effort and searching the opposite jetty, we managed to pick out a few Purple Sandpipers and Ruddy Turnstones and then on the distant beach there were some Sanderlings. With tears rolling down my cheeks from the slight breeze, I was able to find one lonely fly by Northern Gannet. Nick found the Great Cormorant on the tower at the jetty terminus.

Great Cormorant

          Nick was our professional photographer that we hired for the day and was able to get some good close up photographs of other birds at the inlet.

Female Bufflehead

Female Bufflehead

Female Red-breasted Mergansers

 

Ruddy Duck

           Other birds spotted at the inlet were, both Common and Red-throated Loons, all three species of scoters, several Long-tailed Ducks and Greater Scaup.

Greater Scaup

Female Greater Scaup

          We started our drive north after finishing up at the inlet. We pulled over to scan Silver Lake in Rehoboth Beach and were treated to a large raft of Canvasback. We scanned for Redhead but could not find any mixed in with the Canvasback.

 

Partial raft of Canvasback

           At Cape Henelopen we found Brown-headed Nuthatch and Snow Buntings along with more scoters, loons and Red-breasted Mergansers. At Broadkill Beach, part of Prime Hook NWR, Nick spotted a bird sitting on an Osprey nesting platform which didn't look right for a Red-tailed Hawk. We determined it was a light morph Rough-legged Hawk. When we got out of the car to set up the scope, Bruce Childs asked about another raptor flying around, which turned out to be a dark morph Rough-legged Hawk. Awesome.

 

Rough-legged Hawk - Light phase

           We ended the trip a little earlier then usual due to the fact that we were being beat up all day long by the wind and most of us were dragging at that point. We totaled 74 species for the day which was a little below our average of 80. Nevertheless, it was a great trip with three fabulous finds, American Bittern, Snowy Owl and Rough-legged Hawk. Can't wait for next year.

      

Delaware County eBird numbers in review for 2017

***eBird Web Site (http://ebird.org/content/) for all kinds of data characterizations and how to join in if you care to do so. Except for the value of time and effort involved, it is all available free of monetary charge; allowing access to: review of data submitted from all over the world, rare bird alerts, feature articles, personal lists from life lists to specific area lists, and a venue for contributing to a data-base of world-wide submissions in a "Think Globally, Act Locally" manner.

***Species reported for each month for 2011 through 2017; year total for 2011 through 2017; and All Time totals for each month and year for all years combined back to earliest entry from 1900:
2011:      J-077, F-071, M-083, A-134, M-140, J-100, J-078, A-119, S-098, O-128, N-089, D-092, Y-211
2012:      J-081, F-080, M-084, A-134, M-135, J-098, J-084, A-102, S-124, O-146, N-084, D-086, Y-216
2013:      J-084, F-079, M-098, A-130, M-147, J-087, J-102, A-109, S-129, O-113, N-087, D-098, Y-214
2014:      J-093, F-089, M-100, A-135, M-155, J-098, J-099, A-112, S-123, O-130, N-097, D-097, Y-220
2015:      J-081, F-081, M-104, A-150, M-152, J-112, J-082, A-120, S-129, O-124, N-098, D-089, Y-223

2016:      J-087, F-087, M-104, A-133, M-153, J-101, J-095, A-102, S-134, O-118, N-090, D-088, Y-213

2017:      J-093, F-087. M-115, A-153, M-152, J-097, J-105, A-131, S-156, O-124, N-099, D-097, Y-231

All Time: J-150, F-142, M-156, A-222, M-237, J-157, J-158, A-195, S-236, O-229, N-186, D-174, Y-328

***Discussion via Bullet Points:

• 328 species have been reported to eBird all time for Delaware County. One new species was added to the Delaware County eBird list since 2013’s American Avocet. That was the Black-headed Gull found at the Delco portion of John Heinz NWR.
• 231 species were listed on eBird for Delaware County in 2017, 18 more than in 2016. This was due in large part to two birders who were very active in the county in 2017.
• A new total species high count was set for 6 months out of twelve: March, April, July, August, Sept and Nov 2017.
• 100+ species have now been reported in eight out of twelve calendar months at least once, leaving only the winter months November thru February outstanding. November came oh so close with 99 species recorded.
• 150+ species is a tough number to reach in any month. Previously, only two months have achieved that lofty number: April & May. In 2017, September has now been added to that category.
• 42 species have been reported for Delaware County for every one of the eBird bar chart weeks in a year.
• Here is a list of the top 15 of 50 Delaware County eBird hotspots based on species diversity reported to date:

1.  John Heinz NWR-wetlands (Delaware Co) – 270 (three new birds added this year)

2.  Delaware River-Ft Mifflin/Hog Island Rds-207 (six new birds added this year)

3.  Ridley Creek SP (IBA) – 203 (one new bird added this year)

4. Tyler Arboretum – 185

5. Springton Reservoir (Restricted Access) – 182

6. Ridley Creek SP--Bridle Trail – 178

7. Darlington Tract – 172

8. Crum Woods – 162 (two new birds added this year)

9. The Willows – 156 (eleven new birds added this year)

10. Big Bend Farms (restricted Access) – 147 (one new bird added this year)

11. Haverford College (Delaware Co)- 147 (ten new birds added this year)

12. Rose Tree Park – 140

13. Hildacy Farm - 137 (seven new birds added this year)

14. Crum Creek Reservoir –133 (one new bird added this year)

15. Philadelphia International Airport – 133 (new to top 15 this year)

• To view the list of the Top 100 eBirders for Delaware County in 2017, go to: http://ebird.org/ebird/top100?locInfo.regionType=subnational2&locInfo.regionCode=US-PA-045&year=2017

The top 100 birders in Delaware County submitted 231 species and submitted 9032 (an increase of  370%) separate checklists. Way to go!!! And I know there a several good birders whose lists aren't counted. Maybe they will add their sightings next year. (Hint, Hint)

 

Delaware County data sets for bar chart and other eBird status & distribution characterizations were greatly increased in 2017 by the record participation of birders by/for whom data was entered. Thanks to all of you!