Sunday, Feb. 2

White-winged Scoter photo courtesy of Frode Jacobsen. Harbor and Gray Seals photo courtesy of Rita Modesti.

MORNING TRIPS

Indian River Inlet & Burton Island (DRIVING/HIKING) 
Time: 8:00 – 11:00 am
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location: South jetty of the Indian River Inlet, DE, near Big Chill Beach Club, 27099 Coastal Hwy, Bethany Beach, DE 19930. GPS coordinates: 38.607106, -75.062124

Please note: There is no daily entry fee charged at Delaware State Parks during December, January and February.

The Indian River Inlet and inland bays offer some of Delaware’s best coastal birding. Indian River Inlet is home to a huge mixed flock of sea ducks including all three scoters and Long-tailed Ducks that may be joined by Common Eider and Harlequin Duck, Great Cormorants and both Loons. Purple Sandpipers are common on the inlet jetties. Horned Grebes and Brant can often be seen from Burton Island.

Ocean City Inlet, Sunset Park and Skimmer Island (DRIVING/HIKING)
Time: 8:00 – 11:00 am
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location: We’ll meet along the sea wall at the Hugh T. Cropper Inlet Parking Lot, located at 809 S Atlantic Ave, Ocean City, MD 21842. GPS coordinates: 38.324890, -75.087035

Please note: Parking is free at the Hugh T. Cropper Inlet Parking Lot is free from Nov. 1 – March 31.

We will begin this tour at the Ocean City Inlet, which is a channel where water flows into and out of the Sinepuxent Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. The Inlet was formed during a massive storm in August of 1933; prior to that time, the fledgling town of Ocean City was connected by land to what is now Assateague Island. Sea ducks and shorebirds can be found feeding and roosting on the inlet’s rock jetties. From the inlet, we’ll walk to the 0.7-acre Sunset Park, sandwiched between a U.S. Coast Guard Station and a commercial property. Most of Sunset Park is paved or boardwalked, but there are some tiny beds of native plants, and there is a platform providing a good view of a sandy beach and the water of Sinepuxent Bay. Here you can get nice looks at loons, diving ducks, and maybe Brant. After walking back to our vehicles, we’ll drive a short distance over the Route 50 bridge to scope the mud flats around what is left of Skimmer Island.

What goes better together than birds and beers? Here are Dogfish Head’s off-centered ale pairing recommendations for the Winter Delmarva Dogfish BirdINNg Weekend! Please drink responsibly.

Red-throated Loon photo courtesy of Frode Jacobsen.

Slightly Mighty IPA: A lo-cal IPA that is slight in calories and carbs with mighty hop flavor. Brewed with a touch of monk fruit that delivers body and complexity but adds zero calories or carbs, Slightly Mighty has all the flavor & tropical aromas of a world class IPA.

SeaQuench Ale: The #1 selling sour in the U.S., SeaQuench Ale is our session sour brewed with black limes, lime juice, and sea salt for a bright, citrusy flavor and thirst-quenching finish.

Avian Influenza Alert:

Recently, H5 avian influenza has been detected in sick and dead Snow Geese on Delmarva. We will be hosting field trips in areas where avian influenza may be present. If you maintain a backyard flock of chickens or work in the poultry industry, you may want to take precautions to minimize the spread of avian influenza. For more information about protecting yourself and your birds from avian influenza, please visit the CDC website.

If you encounter a sick or dead bird, please call these numbers and visit these websites for reporting information:

Please note:

  • No cancellations are accepted after January 15, 2025. For a further explanation of our refund policy, please click here.
  • Trips will go rain or shine, unless torrential rains prevent us from viewing wildlife.
  • If the trip is canceled due to dangerous conditions, 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.