Friday, Oct. 11

Red-shouldered Hawk, photo courtesy of Frode Jacobsen. Biking and birding at Cape Henlopen State Park.

Registration is open! All reservations will be confirmed via email. No cancellations after September 27, 2024. Trips are subject to weather cancellations.

MORNING FIELD TRIPS

Indian River Inlet & Burton Island (DRIVING/HIKING) 
Time: 8:00 – 11:00 am
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location: South Side of the Indian River Inlet, DE, meet near Big Chill Beach Club, 27099 Coastal Highway, Bethany Beach, DE 19930. GPS coordinates: 38.606742, -75.061808

Please note: Cost does not include entry fee for Delaware Seashore State Park. Access is granted with a Delaware State Parks Annual Pass, or with a day-use fee of $5/vehicle with DE tags or $10/vehicle with out-of-state tags. For more information, please visit Delaware State Parks Passes, Tags & Fees.

The Delaware seashore between Indian River Inlet and Dewey Beach offers some of Delaware’s best coastal birding. Indian River Inlet provides habitat for shorebirds on the jetties and beaches. Seabirds can be found migrating off the coast. Your guides will lead you from the inlet to the Indian River Marina and Burton Island to search for migrant songbirds. Birding stops at Savages Ditch and Towers Bayside may be included after the marina.

Blue-winged Teal, photo courtesy of Frode Jacobsen.

Irish Grove MOS Sanctuary (DRIVING/HIKING)
Time: 8:00 – 11:00 am
Cost: $15/person until Sept. 27, then $30/person (proceeds to benefit the Lower Shore Land Trust)
Meeting Location: 4110 Rumbly Point Road, Marion Station, MD 21838. Use GPS coordinates: 37.994380, -75.729794.

Dress and prepare for hiking on trails that may be wet and muddy. Waterproof boots are recommended. Please prepare for ticks. Be sure to bring insect repellent. For information about preventing tickborne diseases, please click here.

Virginia Rail, photo courtesy of Frode Jacobsen.

Managed by the Maryland Ornithological Society, the 2,326-acre Irish Grove MOS Sanctuary occupies the Rumbly Point peninsula in southern Somerset County. The sanctuary mainly consists of tidal marshes, with some higher ground in pine forests. There are breathtaking, wide-open vistas of the tidal marshland. Most of the property is less than five feet above sea level. There are several fresh and salt water ponds surrounded by Loblolly Pine woods.

AFTERNOON BOAT TRIP

Shorebird Explorer Sunset Cruise (BOAT TRIP)
Time: 4:00 – 6:00 PM (sunset is 6:27 pm)
Cost: $45/person (includes tip for First Mate)
Meeting Location: Talbot Street Pier in Ocean City, MD, located at 311 Talbot St., Ocean City, MD 21842. GPS Coordinates: 38.331652, -75.090363

Please note: There are two parking lots available off Talbot Street. One is directly behind the bank, and the other is on the corner of Talbot Street and St. Louis Avenue. After you have parked, meet your guides at the end of the Talbot Street Pier. Please click on this Google Map for specific parking and meeting locations.

Marbled Godwit, photo courtesy of Frode Jacobsen.

Leave the dock at Talbot Street in Ocean City, Maryland, and tour by pontoon boat around Skimmer Island and the northern bayside shore of Assateague Island. This two-hour trip is great for adding seabirds and shorebirds to your DBW checklist, such as Royal Tern, American Oystercatcher, and Marbled Godwit. And don’t forget the Assateague ponies! Join your field trip leaders for a beer at the world-famous M.R. Duck’s after the tour.

Please note:

  • No cancellations are accepted after September 27, 2024. For an explanation of our refund policy, please click here.
  • Food and drink are not included in the cost for trips and tally rallies.
  • Trips will go rain or shine, unless conditions are predicted to be dangerous.
  • If the trip is canceled due to dangerous conditions, you will be notified via email and a full refund will be provided.