Saturday, Oct. 12
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
Birding by Bike at Cape Henlopen State Park (BIKING/HIKING)
Time: 8:00 am – 11:00 am
Cost: $30/person (must provide your own bike; see below for rental information)
Meeting Location: public parking area of Cape May Lewes Ferry Terminal, located at 43 Cape Henlopen Dr, Lewes, DE 19958. GPS coordinates: 38.781715, -75.118642
Please note: 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.
Meet your guides in the free parking area just outside of the Cape May Lewes Ferry Terminal for an overview of the morning’s itinerary. Over the course of this three-hour cycling tour, we’ll travel 12 miles along paved and compact bike trails (appropriate for both road and mountain bikes) through pitch pine forest, forested wetland, tidal marsh, 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 migrating raptors and a stop at the Seaside Nature Center to watch the feeders.
Birds of Prime Hook (DRIVING/HIKING)
Time: 8:00 – 11:00 am
Cost: $30/person
MEETING LOCATION: Prime Hook NWR Visitor Center, 11978 Turkle Pond Rd, Milton, DE 19968. GPS coordinates: 38.830404, -75.248497
The Delaware Bay shoreline and its adjacent uplands offer the most diverse birding opportunities in southern Delaware. Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Milton, Delaware, is the perfect birding location for Friday morning. We’ll search for migrants and local residents, including wading birds, shorebirds, rails, and warblers. The trip will involve some easy walking, and car caravans between major stops. Meet at the Prime Hook NWR Visitor Center on Turkle Pond Road.
MORNING PHOTO WORKSHOP
Photo Workshop with Troy Bynum (CLASS)
Time: 10:30 – 11:30 am, followed by lunch on your own
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location: Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, located at 320 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
Please note: We need 10 participants to run the photo workshop. If you wish to be added to the waitlist, please email dmvbirds@gmail.com with your name and the number in your party.
Troy Bynum is a wildlife photographer and avid birder from the Philadelphia area. He grew up in Mt. Airy, PA, and spent a lot of time exploring Wissahickon Valley Park as a kid, where his interest and love for nature began. Now, Troy spends most of his free time exploring natural areas around the tri-state area in search of beautiful birds. He specializes in showcasing the beautiful patterns, textures, and colors found throughout nature. Check out Troy’s photos on Instagram at TB Wildlife Photography!
Participants will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of photography – aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and exposure compensation – to best capture photos of the desired subject out in the field. This course focuses on transitioning into using manual settings. Important terminology and troubleshooting techniques will be explored so participants can capture images with their own artistic style. This course is designed to be a hands-on training that will help improve participants’ photography skills, whether complete beginners or experienced photographers. At the end of the course, participants will be able to capture pictures of wildlife or other subjects using manual settings. The skills learned in this class are general to digital photography and can be applied to DSLR, mirrorless cameras, bridge, and superzoom cameras.
You can continue honing your photography skills with Troy by joining us for the 3:30 – 6:00 pm Breakwater & Broadkill River Cruise! Troy will be one of the guides on the boat. Scroll down for more information.
MID-DAY PUNKIN ALE FEST
Oh my gourd, it’s officially the season for all things Punkin Ale! Join us for this year’s Punkin Ale Festival on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton, DE, a FREE family friendly event where you’ll enjoy some amazing local vendors and food trucks, Dogfish Head ales & spirits, live music and much more! The festival will benefit the Brandywine Valley SPCA as part of Beer & Benevolence!
The event opens at 11:00 am at the at the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, located at 6 Cannery Village Center, Milton, DE 19968.
If you are registering for the 3:30 – 6:00 pm Breakwater & Broadkill River Cruise departing from Fisherman’s Wharf, you should leave the Punkin Ale Festival by 2:00 pm to get to Lewes and find parking.
AFTERNOON BOAT TRIP
Breakwater & Broadkill River Sunset Cruise (BOAT)
Time: 3:30 – 6:00 pm (sunset is 6:27 pm)
Cost: $72/person (includes tip for First Mate)
Meeting Location: Fisherman’s Wharf, 107 Anglers Rd, Lewes, DE 19958. GPS coordinates: 38.776757, -75.137437
Join us for a 2.5-hour cruise of the Lewes breakwater and the saltmarshes along the Broadkill River. We’ll depart from Fisherman’s Wharf in historic Lewes and head out towards the inner breakwater and the East End Light. Along the way, we’ll search the breakwater rocks and Cape Henlopen shoreline for gulls, terns and migrating shorebirds. We’ll then cruise up the Broadkill River and search the saltmarshes of Beach Plum Island and Great Marsh for herons, egrets, ibis and raptors.
Please park in the lot in front of The Wheelhouse restaurant. We encourage you to bring Dogfish Head craft brews if you want to enjoy a beer with your OktoBIRDfest boat tour!
TALLY RALLY
Tally Rally at the Dogfish INN (SOCIAL)
Time: 6:00 – 7:00 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 the cottage or outside around the Cowboy Cauldron, so please dress for the weather! GPS Coordinates: 38.775121, -75.137909
Please note: although the Tally Rally is free, we do ask you to RSVP at dmvbirds@gmail.com so that we can inform our hosts with the number in your party. Thanks!
OktoBIRDfest 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, located just a short walk over the bridge from Fisherman’s Wharf.
See what birds have been tallied during the field trips, and learn about local birding hotspots from our DBW guides. Join us to swap birding stories and add to the DBW checklist for the weekend. Please note: the Dogfish INN parking lot is for guests only, but there is a public parking lot conveniently located across the street.
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.