Delaware Ornithological Society

Morning Waterfowl Walk at C&D Wildlife Area Canal Pond with Will Krohn
2026-02-08 09:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York) | DE
Mute Swan by Will Krohn

Find abundant & diverse waterfowl at Canal Pond!

Canal Pond is arguably one of the best locations in New Castle County for waterfowl abundance and diversity in the winter. This hotspot, located off of Cox Neck Rd. about 1 mile west of Delaware City, regularly hosts large numbers of Mute Swan, Gadwall, American Coot, and many other species of waterfowl. Less frequent species seen there include Redhead, Common Goldeneye, and rare geese. The phragmites and scrubby habitat along the edge of the pond is also typically full of uncommon winter songbirds like Gray Catbird and Swamp Sparrow. We will meet at 9 AM. Over the course of an hour, we will walk approximately 2/3 of a mile over gently sloping trails and grass, and there may be some mud. If you have one, it is recommended to bring a spotting scope, although there will be opportunities to share scopes if you do not have one. There is no restroom available on-site. If participants are interested and conditions allow, we can also visit other nearby “hotspots” such as the Augustine Wildlife Area.

We will meet in front of the gate to Canal Pond. To get there, paste 39.562708, -75.612913 into your smartphone’s mapping application, or, coming from Delaware City, follow Cox Neck Rd. west for 1 mile and turn left onto a gravel road. There are no signs for the pond at the turn-in. If you have any questions about this trip, please contact the leader, Will (wkrohn@udel.edu) for more information. In the unlikely event that the pond is completely frozen over, the event will be rescheduled.

Harry's Pond in Winter with Amy O'Neil
2026-02-13 09:00 - 10:30 | DE
Harry’s Pond in Winter by Amy O’Neil

How many species of birds can be found at Harry’s Pond in winter?

Bundle up and come out for the second in the series of seasonal strolls around Harry’s Pond, this time for a little winter walk. In winter, there are geese aplenty, and ducks to see like Hooded Mergansers. We’ll also look for other overwintering birds like Belted Kingfisher, Fox Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers and any raptors that are lurking around the edges or flying over – perhaps the Bald Eagle that has been hanging out on the tower lately. The pace will be leisurely, and most walking will be on paved paths or flat grassy areas. If the pond is iced over, we’ll reschedule.

Contact Carolyn at fieldtrips@dosbirds.org if you have any questions about this trip..

We’ll meet by the entrance to the pond most easily accessible from the parking lot by the security building past Tutor Time. Be careful of toddlers getting dropped off in the morning when driving in!

Youth Birders: Little Creek Wildlife Area - Port Mahon Impoundment
2026-02-15 08:30 - 10:30 | DE
Northern Shoveler by Carolyn Holland

This man-made coastal wetland serves as an important overwintering spot for waterfowl, shorebirds, and other species. For this trip, our goal is to see as many different winter raptors, diving ducks, and dabbling ducks as possible, including harriers, kestrels, mergansers, and gadwall.DE Conservation Access Pass required.

Please RSVP to Jessica at redknotyouthbirders@gmail.com so we’ll know to expect you.

Meet at Port Mahon Road, Little Creek 19901- look for the turnoff to the parking area on the right justbefore the tank farm driveway; if you reach the bay you’ve gone too far!

DOS February Meeting: Annual Christmas Count Recap
2026-02-18 19:00 - 21:00 | DE
Join host Jim White and other Christmas Count compilers for a recap of all the exciting discoveries during the 2024-2025 Christmas Counts. Each compiler will summarize the highlights of their count and discuss recent trends in bird populations.

This event will be held on line via Zoom. A zoom link will be sent to all DOS members via email. If you are not a member, you can request a zoom link by clicking the button below.

Non-members click here to request Zoom link

For DOS members only, there will be a link to a recording of the talk after the meeting. If you are not a member and want to attend virtually, please consider joining.

Raptors in Winter with Jim White
2026-02-22 08:00 - 16:00 | DE
Merlin by Carolyn Holland

A quest for Raptors in Winter!

Barred Owl by Shannon Modla

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, lunch etc. There is typically a stop around lunchtime at Wawa/Royal Farms/etc. to refuel. Be sure to dress appropriately for extended periods of time in the mid-winter elements!

Red-shouldered Hawk by Carolyn Holland

DOS members only -This trip is limited to 14 participants. Contact Jim at hylajwhite@aol.com to register or if you have any questions about this trip.

Meet at the Wilmington Airport, also known as the New Castle County Airport.

Sea Watch II with Chris Bennett & Anthony Gonzon
2026-03-14 08:00 - 12:00 | DE
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 scope if you have one.

State Park entrance fees will be in effect. Participants should monitor the DOS website and social media for last minute changes due to weather or other conditions.

Contact Carolyn at fieldtrips@dosbirds.org if you have any questions about this trip.

DOS March Meeting: "Flycatcher Problems!" by Matthew Halley
2026-03-18 19:00 - 21:00 | Delaware Museum of Nature and Science, 4840 Kennet Pike, Greenville, Delaware, 19807, United States
Summary: This talk will be held in person only at the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science and will be held in the bird collection. There will be an opportunity to examine actual museum specimens of the different flycatchers to see first hand the issues described in the talk.

Few groups of American birds are more difficult to identify than Empidonax and Contopus flycatchers. In this talk, Matthew will review the species that occur in the Delaware valley region—with specimens on display—and discuss his recent efforts to resolve lingering problems related to scientific nomenclature.

Dr. Matthew Halley is a local ornithologist and historian who is widely known for his detailed and revelatory studies of American birds. He is the Research Director and Curator of Birds at the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science (Wilmington), Research Associate at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (Philadelphia), where he earned his doctorate in 2021, and a Life Member of DOS and a member of the DOS Council.

The meeting is held IN PERSON ONLY at Delaware Museum of Nature and Science. The in person meeting is open to everyone and admission is free. The presentation will involve looking at actual museum specimens of the birds discussed, so cannot be live streamed. Please come out and enjoy this unique hands on experience.

DOS April Meeting: "How Birding Changes the Brain" by Erik Wing.
2026-04-15 19:00 - 21:00 | DE
Erik Wing is a research associate at York University in Toronto, where he studies how prior knowledge and expertise influence human perception and cognition. Erik completed his doctoral work at Duke University, focusing on brain representations during visual experience and later memory retrieval. In his current work, he is particularly interested in how information is learned and organized within natural domains of knowledge. Working with birders across North America and beyond, he has explored how learning bird identification shapes attention, memory and new learning using a variety of behavioral and brain imaging measures. In his free time, he spends as much time as possible walking in the woods, ostensibly for research purposes.

This event will be held on line via Zoom. A zoom link will be sent to all DOS members via email. If you are not a member, you can request a zoom link by clicking the button below.

Non-members click here to request Zoom link

For DOS members only, there will be a link to a recording of the talk after the meeting. If you are not a member and want to attend virtually, please consider joining.

Prothonotary Warbler

Fair Hill Bobolinks with Ian Stewart
2026-05-30 08:00 - 11:00 | DE
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 local conservation efforts. We will then drive 5 minutes to the nature center to look for warblers and other songbirds along Big Elk Creek.

Bobolinks by Ian Stewart

NRMA Daily Pass in effect ($5 for non-residents) so bring cash. We will meet at Parking lot #3 at the intersection of Appleton Road and Black Bridge Rd (aka North Appleton Parking lot).

Contact Carolyn at fieldtrips@dosbirds.org if you have any questions about this trip.

48th Annual Beginner's Shorebird Field Trip!
2026-07-25 08:00 - 12:00 | DE
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, usually a challenging goal, because arrival dates, water levels and weather conditions all change year to year.

Spotted Sandpiper at Bear Swamp by Carolyn Holland

Emphasis is on basics of shorebird identification for beginners, although there are always several experienced birders to assist. Pace is slow – everyone should see each shorebird species satisfactorily. While this is not a photography workshop, our slow pace allows for photographic experimentation and networking. There will be some “prizes” awarded for categories not yet determined! Drinks and snacks advised, as well as sunscreen, bug spray and a hat. An optional, informal tally luncheon is usually held following the trip at a local eatery.

Refuge fees are in effect – $4 per car, or free entry with a 2024-2025 season duck stamp (or other special passes). This would be a fine opportunity to recycle your lightly used, expired prior season duck stamp(s) – Donate it/them to support the DOS Bird-a-Thon!

Trip leader is Bob Rufe – rrufe1@aol.com – please email Bob to let him know you’re planning to participate, or if you have any questions. A few “loaner” binoculars will be available, please contact leader to request if needed.More information on Bombay Hook NWR is available at https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Bombay_Hook/

We will meet in the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge Visitor’s Center parking lot in Smyrna, DE at 8 a.m. and wrap up by noon.
