All Upcoming Events and Trips

43rd Annual Beginner’s Shorebird Field Trip!

Shorebirds for Beginners at Bombay Hook! Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS) is sponsoring a Beginner’s Shorebird Field Trip on Saturday, July 24, at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Smyrna, Delaware. This will be a Half Day trip - tailored for beginners, and is the 43rd consecutive outing for this popular field trip. "Par" is 15 species of shorebirds, ... Read more

July Pea Patch Island Heron Survey

Pea Patch Island Heron Survey Pea Patch Island, located just off Delaware City, hosts one of the largest breeding colonies of herons and egrets in the mid-Atlantic region. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation takes a monthly census of birds using the colony. Led by counter Chris Bennett, herons, egrets, and ibis leaving and returning to the ... Read more

August Pea Patch Island Heron Survey

Pea Patch Island Heron Survey Pea Patch Island, located just off Delaware City, hosts one of the largest breeding colonies of herons and egrets in the mid-Atlantic region. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation takes a monthly census of birds using the colony. Led by counter Chris Bennett, herons, egrets, and ibis leaving and returning to the ... Read more

Ashland Migrant Walk

Half Day walk at Ashland! Join Jim White for a half day ramble along the Red Clay Creek at Ashland Nature Center in search of warblers and other neotropical migrants! Bring your binoculars and spotting skills along with a mask if you're not vaccinated yet please. Meet in parking lot of Ashland Nature Center, Hockessin ... Read more

Milford Neck Fall Migrants

Migrants at Milford Neck! Milford Neck is one of the best, least-birded areas of the state! More than 10,000 acres of the forest, fields and wetlands are permanently protected by the State of Delaware, The Nature Conservancy, and Delaware Wild Lands. The mosaic of habitats, easily accessed by an excellent road network, provide excellent birding ... Read more

The Annual Ticking Tomb Bird Stroll

Ye Gods! Abandon all hope, ye who enter here......! This DOS bird walk heads through White Clay Creek State Park near the London Tract Meeting House and Cemetery, home of the infamous "Ticking Tomb". We will start off quaking with terror near the tomb then find serenity by heading into the woods to search for ... Read more

Searching for Sparrows

Searching for Sparrows Join Andy Ednie to search for sparrows in beautiful Burrow's Run! October is the perfect time to find migrating sparrows, welcome back our winter birds, and study our year-round residents too! We'll look for White-throated, White-crowned, Lincoln's, and others on this pristine private property in the Red Clay Valley. Meet at Burrow's ... Read more

Little Creek Wildlife Area

Find a lot at Little Creek! Join Chris Bennett on a search for Fall migrants in and around the Little Creek Wildlife Area. We will be driving and walking the Wildlife Area roads, and, depending on time and group size, driving to Port Mahon or Pickering Beach for a little bonus birding! Meet at the ... Read more

DOS October Meeting: Kate Hackett will speak on “Restoring Delaware’s Forests”

Kate will be talking about DWL’s forest acquisition and reforestation projects and new work on the sustainable forestry program at the Great Cypress Swamp.  This will include updates about plans and existing projects at the Passmore Farm, Fortner Farm, and Great Cypress Swamp….as well as a new project she hopes to announce!  There are also ... Read more

Youth Birders: Conowingo Park and Octoraro Creek Trail

Join the Red Knot Youth Birders for a trip to Conowingo Park on the opposite side of the Susquehanna from Conowingo Dam.  We will explore the forested trail along Octoraro Creek and enjoy some Bald Eagle watching at the base of the dam.  Loaner binoculars will be available but please feel free to bring your ... Read more

First Sea Watch for 2021-2022

Join Anthony Gonzon and Chris Bennett for 3 brisk birding adventures at the Indian River Inlet this winter! Sea Watch I - November 14 (Sunday) 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM Sea Watch II - January 23 (Sunday) 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM Sea Watch III - March 13 (Sunday)  8:00 AM until 12:00 PM To ... Read more

DOS November Meeting: “Use of a Delaware Bayshore marsh hummock by songbirds during migration” by Kitt Heckscher

A citizen science project in the early 1990s identified the Delaware Bayshore marsh hummocks and barrier islands as an important stopover region for migratory songbirds. No further study of songbird stopover ecology has taken place along the Delaware Bayshore. In 2020, the Heckscher Lab at Delaware State University initiated a two-year pilot study to further ... Read more