Delmarva Ornithological Society 2011-2012 Field Trip Schedule Field Trip Chairs: Amy & Kathleen O'Neil Field Trip Info: All members and guests are welcome! Only our Owl trip is restricted to DOS members. All field trips are free of charge, however trips marked with an asterisk (*) have locations that are known to require entrance fees. Please be aware that a leader on any trip may choose to go to a location that requires fees/tolls. Participation in field trips is at your own risk. Please help our leaders and our environment by carpooling, especially on trips which include several locations. Half day trips will usually end before lunchtime unless otherwise noted. Please feel free to contact trip leaders if you have any questions.

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2011       2012                   Sep Oct Nov Dec  | Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep  [Next Trip]
	TITLE/ DESTINATION	LEADER	MEETING TIME AND PLACE	DESCRIPTION
September, 2011
Saturday, 17 Sep 2011	Dunlins Trip: Brandywine Bird Bonanza*	Derek Stoner	Brandywine Creek State Park Nature Center, 9:00 a.m.	The birds love the Brandywine Valley! Find warblers, raptors, and other migrants as we bird the fields & thickets. Get your new DE Dunlins birding guide! Ends at noon. State Park fees in effect.
October
Saturday, 8 Oct 2011	Last Gasp 4 Fall Warblers*	Andy Ednie	Brandywine Creek State Park Nature Center, 8:00 a.m.	Search for remaining fall warblers and other migrants at beautiful BCSP. Half day. State Park fees in effect.
Sunday, 9 Oct 2011	Dunlins Trip: The Big Sit	Derek Stoner	Ashland Nature Center, Hockessin DE, 9:00 a.m. - Noon	Lots of birds, lots of food, lots of friends, & lots of fun - what could be a better way of birding? Take part in an international birding competition and help us see a record # of birds. Atop Hawk Watch Hill at Ashland, we will count all the birds that pass by. Bring the whole family for this big birding event!
November
Friday, 4 Nov 2011	Hawk Mountain Friday*	Sally O'Byrne	Lantana Square Parking Lot, 7:30 a.m.	Stretch out your weekend, look for Golden Eagles & other nice migrants at majestic Hawk Mountain. Bring a bag lunch and a pad to sit on. Full day. Trail fees in effect.
Sunday, 6 Nov 2011	Silver Run Wildlife Area & Baxter Tract	Anthony Gonzon	Augustine Beach, Route 9, 7:30 a.m.	Look for wintering passerines and raptors. Half day.
Sunday, 27 Nov 2011	Dunlins Trip: Bald Eagle Extravaganza	Derek Stoner	Conowingo Dam Parking Lot, Conowingo, MD, Noon	The dozens (sometimes hundreds!) of Bald Eagles that gather at Conowingo each autumn is incredible. Bring your camera! Trip ends at 3:00 p.m.
December
Sunday, 11 Dec 2011	Sea Watch I	Anthony Gonzon & Chris Bennett	Delaware Seashore State Park (lot on south side of Indian River Inlet along ocean - Southeast Day Use Area), 8:00 a.m. - Noon	Join Anthony and Chris to look for, identify, and document seabirds as they pass the Delaware coast. Species like Northern Gannet, scoters, loons, gulls, and cormorants are regular. Expect a rarity or two. Please check the forecast and dress appropriately. Half day.
Sunday, 18 Dec 2011	112th Annual Christmas Bird Counts*	Jim White	See Flyer for details.	Get out of the mall and into the field! Enjoy birding and contribute to over 100 years of wintering bird records.
January, 2012
Saturday, 7 Jan 2012	List Head Start	Frank Rohrbacher	Park & Ride at Rte 299 & Rte 1, opposite Wawa. 7:30 a.m.	Get an early start on your 2012 list. Visit various Delaware sites. Full day.
Sunday, 15 Jan 2012	Sea Watch II	Anthony Gonzon & Chris Bennett	Delaware Seashore State Park (lot on south side of Indian River Inlet along ocean - Southeast Day Use Area), 8:00 a.m. - Noon	A second chance to join Anthony and Chris to ID and document seabirds such as Northern Gannet, scoters, loons, gulls, & cormorants, plus find a rarity or two. Check the forecast and dress appropriately. Joint trip with Sussex Bird Club. Half day.
February
Sunday, 5 Feb 2012	Owl Trip	Jim White Must call Jim if you are attending (593-9622). Space is limited.	Meet at New Castle County Airport. Reservations required, DOS members only. Trip will go from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.	Seven species of owl may be seen and/or heard in a single full day. Various locations. Bring lunch.
Sunday, 19 Feb 2012	Sea Watch III (note date change)	Anthony Gonzon & Chris Bennett	Delaware Seashore State Park (lot on south side of Indian River Inlet along ocean - Southeast Day Use Area), 8:00 a.m. - Noon	Last chance this winter to bundle up and join Anthony, Chris, and our friends at the Sussex Bird Club to find, ID & document seabirds such as Northern Gannet, scoters, loons, gulls, & cormorants, plus spot a rarity or two. Half day. NOTE DATE CHANGE
March
Saturday, 3 Mar 2012	Chesapeake Farms	Clyde Roberts and Jim White	Chesapeake Farms HQ 8:15 a.m. See Feb. Flyer for directions.	Numerous migrating ducks. Sharpen your Bald Eagle ID skills. Includes Chesapeake Farms in the am and Eastern Neck NWR in the pm. Half or full day, your choice.
Saturday, 10 Mar 2012	Stone Harbor/ Avalon NJ	Bill Stewart (610) 864-0370 hcf2@earthlink.net	Meet at 7:00 a.m. at Mike's Famous Harley Davidson prior to the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Carpooling is available. Please confirm your plans with Bill if attending.	Visit one of the best wintering waterfowl staging areas in our region. Search for early arriving shorebirds such as Piping Plover & American Oystercatcher. Snowy Owl has been seen on 2 previous trips. We will also visit the 8th St. jetty in Avalon for eider, Harlequin Duck, and the start of Northern Gannet migration. Pack a lunch, we will bird until 2:00pm.
April
Sunday, 1 Apr 2012	Springtime at the Logan Tract	Andy Ednie	Park & Ride at Rte 299 & Rte 1, opposite Wawa. 7:30 a.m.	This trip will look for spring arrivals at one of the best birding spots in DE. We'll look for Avocets, migrating gulls, and waterfowl. Everything from woodlots to bayshores will be covered! Half day. (But birders can move on to Bombay Hook & other spots after we finish up at the Logan Tract).
Saturday, 21 Apr 2012	Lum's Pond* ‡	Bob Strahorn	Glasgow High School parking lot 7:30 a.m.	Look for early breeding and migrating passerines. We will travel to several locations in the park. Half day. Park fees in effect.
Sunday, 22 Apr 2012	Middle Run Natural Area ‡	Derek Stoner	Middle Run parking lot off Possum Hollow Rd. 8:00 a.m.	Explore Middle Run in search of early spring migrants including Broad-winged Hawk, Louisiana Waterthrush, White-eyed Vireo, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Half Day.
Sunday, 29 Apr 2012	Nanticoke Watershed	Anthony Gonzon & Eric Braun	Park & Ride at Rte 299 & Rte 1, opposite Wawa. 6:00 a.m.	Spring migrants; trip will include Redden SF, Trap Pond, Phillip's Landing. Bring bag lunch, boots, and bug spray. Full day.
May
Friday, 4 May 2012	Rail Trip (Note unusual time)	Andy Ednie	Park & Ride at Rte 299 & Rte 1, opposite Wawa. 10:00 p.m.	A three-hour Rail bonanza (in the middle of the night!) targeting 7 species. Bring long boots & bug spray.
Tuesday, 8 May 2012	Alapocas Woods*	Sally O'Byrne	Meet at Blue Ball Barn parking lot at 7:00 a.m.	An oasis within the city of Wilmington with good successional field habitat, mature woodlands, and the Brandywine River. Target birds include migrating warblers and thrushes. Half day. Park fees in effect.
Saturday, 12 May 2012	Spring Round-up	John Janowski	See Flyer for details.	State of Delaware annual spring migration bird census. Great way to learn bird identification by sight and song!
June
Saturday, 2 Jun 2012	Dragon Run Canoe/Kayak Adventure	Sally O'Byrne	Contact Sally O'Byrne for details at salobyrne@gmail.com 7:30 a.m. start.	Great freshwater marsh near Delaware City with abundant little blue heron, yellow warbler and marsh wren. Target bird = Least Bittern. Half day.
Saturday, 16 Jun 2012	Delaware Breeding Bird Atlas field Trip	Joe Sebastiani (302) 345-1563	Location to be decided, start time 7:00 a.m. Contact Joe at joe@delawarenaturesociety.org if you are planning to attend.	Help the effort to finish the DE Breeding Bird Atlas as we visit a block that has not yet been surveyed. 2012 is the last year for this unique opportunity! Learn the techniques involved in atlasing breeding birds. Half day.
July
Saturday, 14 Jul 2012	Delaware Shorebirds* ‡	Bob Rufe	New Castle County Airport, 7:00 a.m. or Bombay Hook NWR headquarters, 8 a.m.	Expect a few rarities. Bring bug spray and a hat. Half day. Entrance fees in effect.
Sunday, 29 Jul 2012	Shorebird ID Workshop Bombay Hook NWR*	Andy Urquhart and Eric Braun	Reservations required. Call Andy at (302) 239-2471 by July 27th.	Learn a system to ID shorebirds based on size, structure, habits, and plumage. Half day trip includes both classroom and field work.
August
Saturday, 11 Aug 2012	More Delaware Shorebirds* ‡	Frank Rohrbacher	Bombay Hook NWR headquarters, 7:30 a.m.	Beginner's trip. Expect a few rarities. Bring bug spray and a hat. Half day. Entrance fees in effect.
September
Saturday, 8 Sep 2012	Cape May Migrants	Derek Stoner	Higbee Beach, small lot on left before main lot, 6:45 a.m.	Visit Cape May's "Migration Mainline" hotspots Higbee Beach, The Meadows, Cape May Point State Park, and the Cape May Hawk Watch for migrant songbirds, shorebirds and raptors. Expect some rarities. Full day.
Wednesday, 12 Sep 2012	Ashland Nature Center	Jim White	Nature center, Brackenville and Barley Mill Roads, 7:30 a.m.	Look for warblers and other neotropical migrants along the Red Clay Creek. Half day.
Sunday, 16 Sep 2012	Fall Migrants at White Clay Creek State Park*	Anthony Gonzon	Chambers House Nature Center. Creek Rd. North of Hopkins Rd. 8:00 a.m.	This is a great time of year for warblers and other fall migrants along White Clay Creek. State Park fee in effect. Half Day.

Please Note: Always check the DOS website (www.dosbirds.org) in case of trip changes or cancellations, and also for any new trips that may be added!

"Delaware Dunlins Recommended" DOS field trips are noted with a ‡ symbol. These trips are low-key, and especially appropriate for familes and beginning birders. Also, please check the Dunlins website (delawaredunlins.com) often for youth birding trips added throughout the year, plus pictures and reports from previous trips!