Saturday, Oct. 12

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

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

Semipalmated Plover, photo courtesy of Frode Jacobsen.

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.

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

White Ibis, photo courtesy of Frode Jacobsen.

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!

Tally Rally at the Dogfish INN. Oct. 6, 2023.

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.