Winter Delmarva Dogfish BirdINNg Weekend: March 14 – 16

Black Scoter photo courtesy of Frode Jacobsen. Harbor and Gray Seals photo courtesy of Rita Modesti.

Registration is open for our Saturday, March 15 field trips.
For Friday, March 14 and Sunday, March 16, we are starting with wait lists for field trips so that we can gauge interest in new field trip experiences.

The 2nd Winter Delmarva Dogfish BirdINNg Weekend of 2025 will be held March 14 – 16. This is our 10th year enjoying great looks at the waterfowl, seabirds, shorebirds, raptors — and seals! — that are on full display in the mid-Atlantic during the winter months. 80 species were tallied during the 2024 event, including Great Cormorant, Purple Sandpiper and Razorbill, as well as Harbor and Gray Seals. Check out the eBird Trip Report from 2024 for a full listing of species observed.

For Friday, March 14, and Sunday, March 16, we are trying some new all-day and half-day field trips that are guaranteed to be fun and birdy! New all-day field trips on March 14 include the Assawoman Wildlife Area and Fresh Pond near Ocean View, DE, and birding in Dorchester County at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and along the Cambridge, MD waterfront. On March 16, we’re hosting our first half-day birding and oyster-tasting field trip along Maryland’s Chincoteague Bay. Please note that some of these field trips require the purchase of vehicle passes for access to the state and federal lands. Details are in the field trip descriptions.

We need a minimum of 10 participants to run each trip on Friday and Sunday. If you are interested in joining us for one of these tours, please scroll down and click on the links for more information. If you have any questions or wish to add your name to the waitlists, please email dmvbirds@gmail.com.

In 2025, we are super excited to partner again with our friends at the Dogfish INN! Located in historic downtown Lewes alongside the canal and a short walk from Fisherman’s Wharf, the Dogfish Inn is the perfect basecamp for exploring all that coastal Delaware has to offer. Holding true to Dogfish Head fashion, you’ll find an offbeat approach to style, quality, and craft throughout each of their 16 rooms. Make the Dogfish INN your basecamp for winter birding!

Pair your birding experiences with a stay at the Dogfish INN and Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales!

Click these links for field trips, directions and tips:

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 February 28, 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.

PHOTO CREDITS: All bird photos courtesy of Frode Jacobsen. Harbor Seal photo courtesy of Rita Modesti. Harbor Seal (on green rocks) photo courtesy of Dana Kester-McCabe. Birder photographs provided by the Delmarva Birding Weekends.