Date: 5/2/25 6:13 pm From: Andrew Ednie <000006be14ba5998-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] RBA: Birdline Delaware, May 2nd, 2025
* Delaware * Statewide * May 2, 2025 * DEST 2025.05.02
*Birds mentioned BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK Snow Goose Brant Mute Swan Black Swan Blue-winged teal Northern Pintail American Wigeon Ring-necked Duck Black Scoter Surf Scoter Hooded Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck Northern Bobwhite Yellow-billed Cuckoo Black-billed Cuckoo Common Nighthawk Chuck-will’s-widow Eastern Whippoorwill Sora Virginia Rail King Rail Sandhill Crane American Coot American Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Black-bellied Plover American Golden Plover Semipalmated Plover Piping Plover Whimbrel Ruddy Turnstone Willet Wilson’s Snipe American Woodcock Red Knot Pectoral Sandpiper Black Skimmer Least Tern Caspian Tern Common Tern Royal Tern Bonaparte’s Gull Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Brown Pelican AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN Northern Gannet ANHINGA Least Bittern Tricolored Heron Black-crowned Night Heron White Ibis Broad-winged Hawk Red-headed Woodpecker Eastern Wood Pewee Blue-headed Vireo Cliff Swallow Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Sedge Wren Veery Swainson’s Thrush Purple Finch Grasshopper Sparrow Vesper Sparrow LINCOLN’S SPARROW White-crowned Sparrow Bobolink Orchard Oriole Rusty Blackbird Yellow-breasted Chat Summer Tanager Northern Waterthrush Worm-eating Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Kentucky Warbler Hooded Warbler Blue-winged Warbler Nashville Warbler Cape May Warbler Magnolia Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Palm Warbler Wilson’s Warbler Rose-breasted Grosbeak Blue Grosbeak
Hotline: Birdline Delaware Date: May 2, 2025 To Report: Andy Ednie 302-792-9591 (VOICE) Compiler: Andy Ednie (<ednieap...>) Coverage: Delaware, Delmarva Peninsula, nearby Delaware Valley, Southern New Jersey, Maryland
For Friday, May 2nd, this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science in Greenville. The Birdline is the rare bird alert (RBA) for The First State sponsored by the Delaware Ornithological Society. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. The unofficial Delaware State Year List increased to 289 species, with 19 new additions. There were 25 species of warbler reported! New species this week included LEAST BITTERN, BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO, COMMON NIGHTHAWK, EASTERN WOOD PEWEE, VEERY, SWAINSON’S THRUSH, YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT, LINCOLN’S SPARROW, BOBOLINK, plus NASHVILLE, CAPE MAY, CHESTNUT-SIDED, MAGNOLIA, BLACKPOLL, and WILSON’S WARBLER.
New this week was the return of BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS to Delaware. A pair of WHISTLING DUCKS were seen at Lake Como in Smyrna and later re-found at Wheatley’s Pond in Clayton off Route 300 out of Smyrna. This is the 5th year in a row that BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS were seen on Wheatley’s Pond. The birds in Clayton are best seen by turning onto School Lane and then into the townhouse development on Preston Lane. Go all the way back to the circle and look under the trees across the pond for the BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS. There have been no duck sightings at the Amalfi Road Retention Pond site, but that pond is now beginning to fill up with water.
Today, another ANHINGA was seen flying over Delaware, this time at Lums Pond State Park near Glasgow. Last week 5 ANHINGAS were seen over Route 1 near Dover. Two places with good habitat for ANHINGA would be the Delaware ponds like Lums or Trap Pond State Park. Once again, AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN was seen this week, this time at Shearness Pool in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Unfortunately, it did not stick around.
The first COMMON NIGHTHAWKS of the year were seen this week at Cape Henlopen State Park, along with calling CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW. There was a CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW calling at Indian Beach in Dewey. CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW and EASTERN WHIPPOORWILL were heard calling along Big Stone Beach Road along with AMERICAN WOODCOCK, SEDGE WREN, SORA, KING and VIRGINIA RAIL. SORA was also found along the Broadwalk Trail at Prime Hook headquarters and at Bombay Hook.
A big wave of migrants arrived this week, new was a BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO and WILSON’S WARBLER found near the Ramsey Road parking lot in First State National Historical Park. A LINCOLN’S SPARROW was found in the marsh along the Red Clay Creek near the covered bridge at Ashland Nature Center. The first BOBOLINKS of the season were reported at Auburn Valley State Park near Yorklyn. CAPE MAY, CHESTNUT-SIDED and MAGNOLIA WARBLER were seen along Creek Road and a VEERY was found at Thompsons Station Road in White Clay Creek State Park. A NASHVILLE WARBLER was singing in a yard in Greenville. There were several reports of BLACKPOLL WARBLERS these last two days. A few PALM WARBLERS are still being reported.
The previously reported COMMON RAVEN nest at the University of Delaware water tower at STAR Campus has now successfully fledged. A COMMON MERGANSER was seen at White Clay Creek State Park along Creek Road, along with RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH seen Thursday at the nature center. RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were found at Phillips Park in Newark. BROAD-WINGED HAWK was seen at the Ashland hawkwatch. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK was found at Brandywine Creek State Park. A KENTUCKY WARBLER was reported at Talley Day Park behind the Brandywine Library off Foulk Road. WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW was found at the Cherry Island landfill.
This has been an exceptional year for both KENTUCKY and HOODED WARBLERS. Both were seen at the Tybout’s Tract in Blackbird State Forest and the Norman G. Wilder Wildlife Area off Berrytown Road near Camden-Wyoming. KENTUCKY WARBLER was also found at the Headquarters Tract in Redden State Forest and a HOODED WARBLER was seen at the Little Neck Wildlife Area near Prime Hook. A SWAINSON’S THRUSH was found today at the Tybout’s Tract, plus SUMMER TANAGER was reported at the Oak Hill Tract in Blackbird, along Saltere Road. There was a high count of 3 RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS, an adult with two of last year’s birds at the Naudin Tract off Saw Mill Road in Blackbird State Forest along with PROTHONOTARY WARBLER.
RING-NECKED DUCKS continue to be seen at Dragon Run off Cox Neck Road near Delaware City. A LEAST BITTERN was seen at Greers Pond off Dutch Neck Road near Port Penn. A pair of BLACK-NECKED STLITS, plus PECTORAL SANDPIPER, NORTHERN PINTAIL, AMERICAN WIGEON, SANDHILL CRANES, and CASPIAN TERNS were seen on Thousand Arce Marsh. WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS and NORTHERN BOBWHITE were found at Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area off Collins Beach Road. CLIFF SWALLOWS were seen along Route 9 at the Appoquinmink Creek
The previously reported SEDGE WREN continues to be found at the north end of Raymond Pool in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. Shorebirds in Bombay Hook including BLACK-NECKED STILT, AMERICAN AVOCET, BLACK-BELLIED, SEMIPALMATED, and AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, WILLET, LONG-BILLED and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER, and WILSON’S SNIPE. Waterfowl reported MUTE and BLACK SWAN, SNOW GOOSE, HOODED MERGANSER, plus PIED-BILLED GREBE. Landbirds seen included ORCHARD ORIOLE, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, and BLUE GROSBEAK.
A female BLACK SCOTER was seen off Port Mahon. WHITE IBIS, BLACK-NECKED STILT, WILLET and WILSON’ SNIPE was seen from the main tower in Little Creek Wildlife Area. BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH was found along Big Stone Beach Road in Milford Neck Wildlife Area. The first RED KNOT of the season was seen at Mispillion Inlet from the Dupont Nature Center, along with AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, BLACK-BELIED PLOVER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, and WILLET plus BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON.
AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER and TURNSTONE were also seen along the Dike Trail at Prime Hook, along with BLACK SKIMMERS and a COMMON TERN. A big flock of 110 WHITE IBIS were seen flying over Prime Hook headquarters this week, could this be the next new breeding bird in the state? HOODED MERGANSER was found at Turkle Pond, along with BLUE-HEADED VIREO, PROTHONOTARY and WORM-EATING WARBLER. Shorebirds reported at Oyster Rocks included AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, WHIMBREL, RUDDY TURNSTONE, STILT and PECTORAL SANDPIPER, plus TRICOLORED HERON and WHITE IBIS.
Another SEDGE WREN was found at Cape Henlopen State Park, along the walking dunes nature trail. AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER, PIPING PLOVER, RUDDY TURNSTONE, plus COMMON, CASPIAN and LEAST TERN were seen at Cape Henlopen Point along with BRANT and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER. WHIMBREL, BLACK SKIMMER, royal tern, NORTHERN GANNET and BROWN PELICAN were seen from the hawk watch. WHITE-BREASTED and BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES were seen at the Seaside Nature Center. WHITE IBIS, TRICOLORED HERON, AMERICAN AVOCET, BLACK-NECKED STILT, and RUDDY TURNSTONE were seen from the Gordon’s Pond bike trail.
SURF and BLACK SCOTERS were seen at Indian River Inlet, plus BONAPARTE’S GULL, NORTHERN GANNET and BROWN PELICAN. A HORNED GREBE was reported on Indian River Bay from the Okie Preserve off Long Neck. RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was reported in Dewey Beach. VESPER SPARROWS were discovered at Holly Tree and Ponder Road near Ellendale. A late BLUE-HEADED VIREO was at a yard near Greenwood. SUMMER TANAGERS were reported at several locations in Sussex County.
Thanks to the many people that make the Birdline possible Clay Chianese, Holy Kirkland, Al Guarente, Beth Larsen, Doug Batt, Eric Sprague, Judy Montgomery, Lana Glass, Don Holcomb. Ryan Johnson, Bert Filemyr, Mike Rosengarten, Frank Rohrbacher, Ed Wrzesniewski, Sheilia Smith, Tracey Paxson, Chris and Karen Bennett, Greg Gough, Sue Gruver, Tom Stock, Lynn Gulla, Diane Kane, Rachel Ribeiro, Roseanne Bloom, Richard Jullian, Rob and Carol Blye, Teddy Burke, Phil Misseldine, Carolyn Holland, Jim and Amy White, Wendy Cesario, Scott Northey, Melissa Lafferty, Kris Benarcik, Ryleigh Sweet, Chase Wilkerson, John and Andy Dunn, Cameron Tescher, Will Krohn, Megan Kasprzak, Declan and Amy O’Neil, Barbara Jones, Joe Francis, Mike Moore, Joe Russell, Bruce Peterjohn, and Joe Swertinski. The Birdline needs your help. Please call your sightings into 302-792-9591 or email <ednieap...> Until next week, this is Andy Ednie wishing you good birding.
