Bennett’s Pier Marsh with Joe Francis

Bennett’s Pier Beach, photo courtesy of Delaware Wild Lands

Visit this year’s Bird-a-Thon Conservation Target!

We’re excited to be teaming with Delaware Wild Lands once more this year on a really special place at Milford Neck, one of the Delaware Bayshore’s largest and most ecologically significant areas.

The parcel, located at Bennett’s Pier Beach, includes 43.6 acres of tidal marsh and beach habitat, and will preserve 1,500 linear feet of shoreline.  It is one of the last unprotected parcels of the Milford Neck coastline and its protection will facilitate restoration of tidal hydrology in the surrounding marshes. The marshes here are some of the best in Delaware for high priority salt marsh specialists including Saltmarsh Sparrows and Black, Yellow, and Clapper Rails. Protecting the beach will benefit Horseshoe Crabs, Piping Plovers, Red Knots and other migratory shorebirds.

For those wanting to check the marsh out in the early evening before dusk, Joe will be stationed at the end of Bennett’s Pier Road along with staff from Delaware Wild Lands at 7 pm, which is about an hour before sunset.  Keep your fingers crossed for Sedge Wren and other marsh birds!  Then you can join Andy Ednie’s convoy as they make the full circuit for his Rail Trip.  

Contact Joe at [email protected] if you have any questions about this event.

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