RBA
* Delaware
* Statewide
* March 10, 2006
* DEST0603.10
*Birds mentioned
Wood Duck
Northern Pintail
Gadwall
Eurasian Wigeon
Ring-Necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Red-Breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Great Egret
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Cooper's Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
American Coot
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Purple Sandpiper
American Woodcock
Bonaparte's Gull
Laughing Gull
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Tree Swallow
Horned Lark
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Brown-Headed Nuthatch
White-Breasted Nuthatch
Pine Warbler
Savannah Sparrow
White-Crowned Sparrow
Snow Bunting
Purple Finch
- Transcript
Hotline: Birdline Delaware
Date: March 10, 2006
Number: 302/658-2747
To Report: Armas Hill, 302/529-1876 (VOICE)
302/529-1085 (FAX)
Compiler: Andy Ednie (ednieap@wittnet.com)
Coverage: Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, nearby Delaware Valley, Southern
New Jersey, Maryland
Transcriber: Andy Ednie (ednieap@wittnet.com)
For Friday, March 10th, this is Birdline Delaware, from the Delaware Museum
of Natural History in Greenville. I'm Andy Ednie, glad to be with you. Armas
Hill is away this week.
An EARED GREBE was found at the Head of the Bay in Dewey Beach on Sunday.
That bird was seen from the Rusty Rudder Restaurant parking lot off
Dickinson Street. The north end of Rehoboth Bay in famous for large
concentrations of HORNED GREBES in early March, which are just now beginning
to arrive, in various forms of changing plumage. The EARED GREBE was looked
for today without success.
The EURASIAN WIGEON continues to be seen at the Logan Tract off the Kitts
Hummock Road. This weekend, it was found at "hidden pond" off the north road
going out to the beach parking area. LESSER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCK, HOODED
and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER and RUDDY DUCK were seen at the north pond. On
Wednesday, several BONAPARTE'S GULLS and 15 AMERICAN AVOCETS were reported.
At Cape Henlopen State Park, Gordon's Pond, at the south end of the park,
did have 2 AMERICAN AVOCETS and 5 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, along with a large
collection of puddle ducks, plus GREATER SCAUP, RED-BREASTED and HOODED
MERGANSER, AMERICAN COOT, and a single GREAT EGRET. 18 PURPLE SANDPIPERS
were seen at Herring Point. Ipswich type SAVANNAH SPARROWS were seen at the
beach crossover to Gordon's Pond and at the point. SNOW BUNTINGS are also
still being seen at the point. No PIPING PLOVERS have been reported yet.
SNOW BUNTINGS and LAPLAND LONGSPURS were not seen at Cartanza Road this
weekend, only HORNED LARKS were found.
3 GREAT EGRETS were reported at Dragon Run near Delaware City, along with
BALD EAGLE, AMERICAN COOT, WOOD DUCK, lots of NORTHERN PINTAIL, GADWALL, and
RING-NECKED DUCK. PEREGRINE FALCONS continue to be seen under the Reedy
Point Bridge.
OSPREYS are back along the coast. Individuals were seen at Lewes and at
Prime Hook NWR. A LAUGHING GULL was seen on the western side of Sussex Co.
near Oak Grove. PINE WARBLERS were heard singing in Henlopen Acres, Rehoboth
Beach. All three species of NUTHATCH, WHITE-BREASTED, BROWN-HEADED, and
RED-BREASTED were found in Henlopen Acres this weekend.
An EASTERN PHOEBE was found at Brandywine Creek State Park on Sunday, near
Rockland Mills. A single TREE SWALLOW was seen over the ponds at the
intersection of Rt 100 and 92, by the entrance to the park on Wednesday.
PURPLE FINCHES continue to be found at the nature center feeders.
WOOD DUCKS were seen along the White Clay Creek in Newark, along with COMMON
MERGANSER. Five species of WOODPECKER were seen, including a PILEATED being
pursued by a COOPER'S HAWK. Maybe to COOPER'S HAWK didn't like how the
PILEATED sang. AMERICAN WOODCOCK were heard doing their timberdoodle dance
from the Thompson Station parking lot. Also reported were Spring peepers,
Wood Frog, and a Little Brown Bat.
Birds at Bombay Hook NWR included 7 immature WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS in the
feeders by the headquarters on Sunday. A LESSER SCAUP was on Raymond Pool.
COMMON GOLDENEYE and RUDDY DUCKS were also reported. The refuge has several
BALD EAGLES right now, a great place to see this majestic bird of prey.
And now for this week's special feature from 1450 WILM News Radio. You can
hear the special feature at 5:55 and 8:55 am and 6:55 pm on Wednesday.
This is the Birdline (on the radio):
(Wood Duck SFx)
That call, heard from creek bottoms, swamps, and ponds across Delaware, is
thought by many birders to be the first sign of spring. It is the cry of the
WOOD DUCK, a unique bird of North America.
Audubon called them the "Summer duck". He was probably aware of WOOD DUCKS,
from his boyhood home at Mill Grove along the Perkiomen Creek, just north of
Valley Forge. They would leave every fall, to return in the spring after the
creek thawed. Actually, a few WOOD DUCK remain all winter long, finding open
water in areas protected from winter weather. Southern birds may be
permanent residents.
WOOD DUCKS have to be one of the most beautiful ducks in the world. The male
has a green head, blue wings and a brilliant red bill and red eyes that
light up in the sun light. No picture can capture the florescence of their
bills. The female is brown with a large tear dropped shaped eye ring. Their
web feet have claws, that allows them to perch and climb tree branches. They
are one of the few species of ducks that are cavity nesters, nesting in
trees sometimes not even near water.
During Audubon's lifetime, WOOD DUCKS were abundant and established
everywhere. But hunting pressures and loss of habitat caused a serious
decline in numbers. At the turn of the 20th century, WOOD DUCKS were in
serious trouble and need protection. Luckily, they readily accepted man-made
nest boxes. Wildlife refuges across the country set up nest box programs to
improve production. Imposing bag limits reduced hunting pressure.
Saving the WOOD DUCK was one of the early success stories of the
conservation movement
Special thanks to Al Guarante, Andrew Leidig, Chris Bennett, and Eric Braun
for their reports this week. I'll be back here next week. You can call your
reports to me at 302-792-9591, or email at ednieap@wittnet.com . Until next
week, good birding.
-end transcript
* Delaware
* Statewide
* March 10, 2006
* DEST0603.10
*Birds mentioned
Wood Duck
Northern Pintail
Gadwall
Eurasian Wigeon
Ring-Necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Greater Scaup
Common Goldeneye
Red-Breasted Merganser
Common Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Ruddy Duck
Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Great Egret
Osprey
Bald Eagle
Cooper's Hawk
Peregrine Falcon
American Coot
American Avocet
Greater Yellowlegs
Purple Sandpiper
American Woodcock
Bonaparte's Gull
Laughing Gull
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Tree Swallow
Horned Lark
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Brown-Headed Nuthatch
White-Breasted Nuthatch
Pine Warbler
Savannah Sparrow
White-Crowned Sparrow
Snow Bunting
Purple Finch
- Transcript
Hotline: Birdline Delaware
Date: March 10, 2006
Number: 302/658-2747
To Report: Armas Hill, 302/529-1876 (VOICE)
302/529-1085 (FAX)
Compiler: Andy Ednie (ednieap@wittnet.com)
Coverage: Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, nearby Delaware Valley, Southern
New Jersey, Maryland
Transcriber: Andy Ednie (ednieap@wittnet.com)
For Friday, March 10th, this is Birdline Delaware, from the Delaware Museum
of Natural History in Greenville. I'm Andy Ednie, glad to be with you. Armas
Hill is away this week.
An EARED GREBE was found at the Head of the Bay in Dewey Beach on Sunday.
That bird was seen from the Rusty Rudder Restaurant parking lot off
Dickinson Street. The north end of Rehoboth Bay in famous for large
concentrations of HORNED GREBES in early March, which are just now beginning
to arrive, in various forms of changing plumage. The EARED GREBE was looked
for today without success.
The EURASIAN WIGEON continues to be seen at the Logan Tract off the Kitts
Hummock Road. This weekend, it was found at "hidden pond" off the north road
going out to the beach parking area. LESSER SCAUP, RING-NECKED DUCK, HOODED
and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER and RUDDY DUCK were seen at the north pond. On
Wednesday, several BONAPARTE'S GULLS and 15 AMERICAN AVOCETS were reported.
At Cape Henlopen State Park, Gordon's Pond, at the south end of the park,
did have 2 AMERICAN AVOCETS and 5 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, along with a large
collection of puddle ducks, plus GREATER SCAUP, RED-BREASTED and HOODED
MERGANSER, AMERICAN COOT, and a single GREAT EGRET. 18 PURPLE SANDPIPERS
were seen at Herring Point. Ipswich type SAVANNAH SPARROWS were seen at the
beach crossover to Gordon's Pond and at the point. SNOW BUNTINGS are also
still being seen at the point. No PIPING PLOVERS have been reported yet.
SNOW BUNTINGS and LAPLAND LONGSPURS were not seen at Cartanza Road this
weekend, only HORNED LARKS were found.
3 GREAT EGRETS were reported at Dragon Run near Delaware City, along with
BALD EAGLE, AMERICAN COOT, WOOD DUCK, lots of NORTHERN PINTAIL, GADWALL, and
RING-NECKED DUCK. PEREGRINE FALCONS continue to be seen under the Reedy
Point Bridge.
OSPREYS are back along the coast. Individuals were seen at Lewes and at
Prime Hook NWR. A LAUGHING GULL was seen on the western side of Sussex Co.
near Oak Grove. PINE WARBLERS were heard singing in Henlopen Acres, Rehoboth
Beach. All three species of NUTHATCH, WHITE-BREASTED, BROWN-HEADED, and
RED-BREASTED were found in Henlopen Acres this weekend.
An EASTERN PHOEBE was found at Brandywine Creek State Park on Sunday, near
Rockland Mills. A single TREE SWALLOW was seen over the ponds at the
intersection of Rt 100 and 92, by the entrance to the park on Wednesday.
PURPLE FINCHES continue to be found at the nature center feeders.
WOOD DUCKS were seen along the White Clay Creek in Newark, along with COMMON
MERGANSER. Five species of WOODPECKER were seen, including a PILEATED being
pursued by a COOPER'S HAWK. Maybe to COOPER'S HAWK didn't like how the
PILEATED sang. AMERICAN WOODCOCK were heard doing their timberdoodle dance
from the Thompson Station parking lot. Also reported were Spring peepers,
Wood Frog, and a Little Brown Bat.
Birds at Bombay Hook NWR included 7 immature WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS in the
feeders by the headquarters on Sunday. A LESSER SCAUP was on Raymond Pool.
COMMON GOLDENEYE and RUDDY DUCKS were also reported. The refuge has several
BALD EAGLES right now, a great place to see this majestic bird of prey.
And now for this week's special feature from 1450 WILM News Radio. You can
hear the special feature at 5:55 and 8:55 am and 6:55 pm on Wednesday.
This is the Birdline (on the radio):
(Wood Duck SFx)
That call, heard from creek bottoms, swamps, and ponds across Delaware, is
thought by many birders to be the first sign of spring. It is the cry of the
WOOD DUCK, a unique bird of North America.
Audubon called them the "Summer duck". He was probably aware of WOOD DUCKS,
from his boyhood home at Mill Grove along the Perkiomen Creek, just north of
Valley Forge. They would leave every fall, to return in the spring after the
creek thawed. Actually, a few WOOD DUCK remain all winter long, finding open
water in areas protected from winter weather. Southern birds may be
permanent residents.
WOOD DUCKS have to be one of the most beautiful ducks in the world. The male
has a green head, blue wings and a brilliant red bill and red eyes that
light up in the sun light. No picture can capture the florescence of their
bills. The female is brown with a large tear dropped shaped eye ring. Their
web feet have claws, that allows them to perch and climb tree branches. They
are one of the few species of ducks that are cavity nesters, nesting in
trees sometimes not even near water.
During Audubon's lifetime, WOOD DUCKS were abundant and established
everywhere. But hunting pressures and loss of habitat caused a serious
decline in numbers. At the turn of the 20th century, WOOD DUCKS were in
serious trouble and need protection. Luckily, they readily accepted man-made
nest boxes. Wildlife refuges across the country set up nest box programs to
improve production. Imposing bag limits reduced hunting pressure.
Saving the WOOD DUCK was one of the early success stories of the
conservation movement
Special thanks to Al Guarante, Andrew Leidig, Chris Bennett, and Eric Braun
for their reports this week. I'll be back here next week. You can call your
reports to me at 302-792-9591, or email at ednieap@wittnet.com . Until next
week, good birding.
-end transcript