Ospreys, Eagles & Ales: May 31

Catch a Flight & Raise a Pint with Dogfish Head!

Osprey and Bald Eagle photos courtesy of Dr. Frode Jacobsen.

Registration will open before April 21! If you wish to be added to the waitlist for these tours, please email dmvbirds@gmail.com. We will notify you when registration opens.

We are very excited about birding, biking and off-centered ale tastings with you and our friends at the Dogfish INN and Dogfish Head! You can register for each experience individually for $25/person, or bundle all three for $65/person. At the end of the day, join us for a free Tally Rally and Fireside Chat at the Dogfish INN at 5:00 pm with Sara Bluhm, Executive Director of the Sussex County Land Trust! Details below.

MORNING BIRDING TOUR

Oyster Rocks Road to Wagamons Pond (HIKING/DRIVING)
Time: 9:00 – 11:15 am
Cost: $25/person
Meeting Location: meet at the boat launch at the end of Oyster Rocks Road near Milton, DE. Park along the shoulder of the road. GPS Coordinates: 38.801919, -75.203195

We’ll meet at the end of Oyster Rocks Road near Milton, DE to search for birds on the Broadkill River and the surrounding marshes, forests and fields. On the Broadkill, we’ll search for terns, gulls and Ospreys. We’ll hike along the road to scope the marsh for herons, egrets and shorebirds. We’ll depart from our meeting location and caravan along Oyster Rocks Road to stop and look into the forest and fields for songbirds and raptors. We’ll then depart for Wagamons Pond in Milton, DE to scan the water and woods for ducks, songbirds and Bald Eagles. Total estimated hiking distance is 1.5 miles.

If you are joining us for the 11:30 brewery tour and tasting, it’s only a 5-minute drive from Wagamons Pond to the Dogfish Head Brewery.

MID-DAY BREWERY TOUR & TASTING

Off-Centered Tour at the Dogfish Head Brewery
Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Cost: $25/person
Meeting Location: The Dogfish Head Brewery, located at 6 Cannery Village Center, Milton, DE 19968.

You’ve tasted the beers and now you want to see how the magic happens! Join us as we show you around our off-centered world. An hour-plus long tour, we’ll dive into what makes Dogfish Dogfish. We have stops at our 200-barrel brewhouse, our R&D system where you’ll have a chance to sample one of our experimental brews, and our rackhouse where we will sample a cocktail. Then we’ll finish things off with a trip into our Steampunk Treehouse and a flight in our Tasting Room – four samples and you get to pick ‘em all! In addition to beer and cocktail samples, we’re sending you home with a specialty logo glass that’s only available to those that take this tour!

When the brewery tour ends at 12:30 pm, we encourage you to grab lunch at the Dogfish Head Tasting Room with your DBW guide before the afternoon cycling adventure in Lewes. Please note that lunch is not included in the tour. We’ll plan to depart Milton by 1:45 pm to make the 20-minute drive to the Dogfish INN in Lewes to get ready for the 2:30 pm bike tour.

AFTERNOON BIRDING & BIKING TOUR

Birding by Bike at Cape Henlopen State Park
Time: 2:30 – 5:00 pm
Cost: $25/person  (must provide your own bike; see below for rental information)
Meeting Location: The Dogfish INN, located at 105 Savannah Road, Lewes, DE 19958.

Please note: the Dogfish INN parking lot is for guests only, but there is a public parking lot conveniently located across the street. You must arrange for your own bike and helmet for this trip. If you need to rent a bike, please email dmvbirds@gmail.com. The entry fee for Cape Henlopen State Park is not required when cycling into the park.

We’ll meet by the Cowboy Cauldron at the Dogfish INN for an overview of the afternoon’s itinerary. Over the course of this 2.5-hour cycling tour, we’ll travel ~10 miles along paved and compact bike trails (appropriate for both road and mountain bikes) through pitch pine forest, dunes and beach habitats that support a wide array of bird life. We’ll make several stops to scope birds along the beach, ocean and bay, as well as a stop at the Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch to scan the skies for seabirds and a stop at the Seaside Nature Center to watch the bird feeders. Total estimated biking distance is 10 miles.

We’ll end our biking & birding adventure right where we started at the Dogfish INN, just in time for our 5:00 pm Tally Rally!

TALLY RALLY & FIRESIDE CHAT

Tally Rally & Fireside Chat at the Dogfish INN
Time: 5:00 – 6:00 pm
Cost: free, but RSVP is required at dmvbirds@gmail.com
Meeting Location: The Dogfish INN, located at 105 Savannah Road, Lewes, DE 19958. We may host the Tally Rally inside or outside around the Cowboy Cauldron, so please dress for the weather! GPS Coordinates: 38.775121, -75.137909

Please note: the Dogfish INN parking lot is for guests only, but there is a public parking lot conveniently located across the street.

Ospreys, Eagles & Ales is more than a great opportunity to see unique local birds…it is also a time to meet unique local birders! Birders will enjoy complimentary samples of Dogfish Head craft ales and good company at the Dogfish INN. Help tally species observed during the field trips, and learn about local birding hotspots.

We’ll be joined by Sara Bluhm, Executive Director of the Sussex County Land Trust, for a fireside chat. Sara will talk about their work to protect natural, cultural, agricultural and recreational resources through land preservation, stewardship and education for today and tomorrow.

Check out our Google Map of sites. Zoom in for meeting locations and biking routes:

Some common sense approaches to make your spring birding trips more enjoyable:

  • Wear appropriate clothing and shoes for spring weather near the ocean! Boots are preferred on trips that include hiking.
  • Carry sunscreen, sunglasses and/or a hat to protect yourself from the sun.
  • Bring rain gear as all events are rain or shine.
  • Try to arrive a little before the scheduled trip departs.
  • Most trips are not appropriate for young children. Please use your discretion when registering.
  • Be courteous to your fellow birders. Speak quietly and turn off cell phones during trips.
  • There are restroom facilities on most trips, but there may not be restrooms available at all stops. Please use the facilities when they are available to you!

Please note:

  • No cancellations are accepted after May 16, 2025. For a further explanation of our refund policy, please click here.
  • Trips will go in the rain or fog, unless torrential downpours prevent us from viewing wildlife.
  • If the trip is canceled due to dangerous conditions (typically storms or strong, gusting winds), we will notify you via email. Please note that the email will be sent to all participants BCC, so you may need to check your email spam folder. A full refund will be provided within 15 days.