Field Trips

Evening Saw-whet Owl Banding at Rushton Woods

November 14 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm EST

***This event is full*** Northern Saw-whet Owl courtesy of Rushton Woods Preserve A visit to Rushton Woods owl banding for adults! Join the banding crew at Rushton Woods Preserve as they work to catch and band Northern Saw-whet Owls to help researchers discover more about their amazing annual movements and unique nocturnal adaptations. Please be … Read more

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Youth Birders: Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge

November 16 @ 8:30 am - 10:30 am EST

Blue-winged Teal by Michael Moore This trip is all about waterfowl!  Join us to explore the diversity of duck and goose species that move into the Mid-Atlantic region for the winter each year.  We’ll be bringing scopes to make sure we get great looks, so don’t miss out! *Annual Duck Stamp or Daily Pass required … Read more

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Sea Watch with Chris Bennett & Anthony Gonzon

November 22 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm EST

Bufflehead by Carolyn Holland Join Anthony and Chris for a brisk birding adventure at the Indian River Inlet! To be enjoyed at the Southside Day Use Area (parking lot on the south side of Indian River Inlet along the ocean). Come prepared for cold conditions and the seashore wind and bring your scope if you … Read more

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Late Afternoon Bird Walk at the DuPont Environmental Education Center/Russell W. Peterson Refuge with Joe Francis

November 23 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm EST

Rusty Blackbird by Carolyn Holland Explore Delaware’s Premier Urban Wildlife Refuge! Close the week with an easy walk along the Jack A Markell Trail at the Peterson Refuge near the Wilmington Riverfront.  We will begin about 2 hours before sundown and cover about 2 miles, mostly on boardwalk with a bit of woodland trail thrown … Read more

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Delaware Bayshore: Pickering Beach to Port Mahon with Chris Bennett

December 6 @ 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm EST

Sunset along Port Mahon Road by Chris Bennett Spend the afternoon on the Delaware Bay! The Delaware Bay and the public lands along its shores attract a wide range of migrant and winter resident birds.  We will start the trip at the Main Tract of Little Creek Wildlife area looking for forest songbirds, raptors and … Read more

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Youth Birders: Wilmington Christmas Bird Count

December 20 @ 8:30 am - 10:30 am EST

Snow Geese by Carolyn Holland Join us for the 126th annual Christmas Bird Count!  We will be counting all of the birds we can see and hear to help track continent-wide trends in bird diversity and abundance.  The data collected is used by scientists working to protect bird habitats and populations. Please RSVP to Jessica … Read more

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Late Afternoon Bird Walk at the DuPont Environmental Education Center/Russell W. Peterson Refuge with Joe Francis

January 25, 2026 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm EST

Field Sparrow by Carolyn Holland Explore Delaware’s Premier Urban Wildlife Refuge! Close the week with an easy walk along the Jack A Markell Trail at the Peterson Refuge near the Wilmington Riverfront.  We will begin about 2 hours before sundown and cover about 2 miles, mostly on boardwalk with a bit of woodland trail thrown … Read more

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Raptors in Winter with Jim White

February 22, 2026 @ 8:00 am - 4:00 pm EST

Merlin by Carolyn Holland A quest for Raptors in Winter! A full day quest for raptors that may be found in our area during the winter months. We will visit several areas in Delaware and while we will include owls in our search, no tape recordings will be used to call them in.  Bring snacks, … Read more

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Sea Watch II with Chris Bennett & Anthony Gonzon

March 14, 2026 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm EDT

Bufflehead by Carolyn Holland Another chance to join Anthony and Chris for a brisk birding adventure at the Indian River Inlet! To be enjoyed at the Southside Day Use Area (parking lot on the south side of Indian River Inlet along the ocean). Come prepared for cold conditions and the seashore wind and bring your … Read more

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Fair Hill Bobolinks with Ian Stewart

May 30, 2026 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am EDT

Bobolink by Ian Stewart See Bobolinks up close! We will explore the rolling grasslands of Fair Hill NRMA just over the Maryland border in search of breeding Bobolinks and Meadowlarks, then head into the woods in search of other breeding birds. Fair Hill is an excellent place to see these declining grassland birds thanks to … Read more

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48th Annual Beginner’s Shorebird Field Trip!

July 25, 2026 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm EDT

Shorebirds for Beginners at Bombay Hook! Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS) is sponsoring a Beginner’s Shorebird Field Trip on Saturday, July 25th, at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Smyrna, Delaware. This will be a Half Day trip – tailored for beginners, and is the 48th consecutive outing for this popular field trip. “Par” is 15 species of shorebirds, … Read more

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