A dozen people met me on this spring-like winter’s day as we all looked forward to getting out and escaping from the seemingly endless onslaught of winter weather we have been experiencing. As one weather broadcaster gleefully reported (and why they were gleefully, I DO NOT KNOW) “in addition to experiencing the 3rd snowiest winter in recorded history we had only NINE sunny days combined in December, January and February to date”. But I clearly am digressing.

The field trip started at the Indian River Inlet which has been a fantastic show of scoters, loons and long-tailed ducks this winter and continued to be so this day. We found all three scoters including a few male White-winged Scoters, we had some Great Cormorants in peak breeding plumage and a wonderful show put on by the 100s and 100s of Long-tailed Ducks. We also found both Red-throated and Common Loons. On the jetty were a few Ruddy Turnstones, Purple Sandpipers and Sanderlings.

We then made a move to the Burton Island Causeway and made a quick pick up of Pied-billed, Horned and 6, yes 6, Red-necked Grebes. We also had a few Common Goldeneyes here. Next we moved on to Silver Lake in Rehoboth, which was again ice free and home to its winter flock of Canvasbacks. Here too were some Ruddy Ducks.

Now it was time to move on to Cape Henlopen State Park. We managed to tick-off Brown-headed Nuthatch at the feeder at the Nature Center and enjoy a nice picnic lunch at the camp ground which was uncustomarily quiet except for some Mourning Doves and two Brown Creepers. We then tried for Snowy Owls at Broad Kill Beach and The Dover Air Force Base. We had nice looks at lots of Northern Harriers. We then tried for an early afternoon Short-eared Owl at Port Mahon Road. Again all we found was more Northern Harriers.

The day ended along Cartanza Road with roadside Horned Larks.

Those are the highlights although we did have lots of other birds and a great day birding in Delaware.

Martin