Date: 1/9/26 5:15 pm From: Andrew Ednie <000006be14ba5998-dmarc-request...> Subject: [de-birds] RBA: Birdline Delaware, January 9th, 2026
RBA * Delaware * Statewide * January 9, 2026 * DEST 26.01.09
*Birds mentioned BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK Ross’s Goose Brant BARNACLE GOOSE Cackling Goose GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Tundra Swan Mute Swan Northern Pintail American Wigeon Canvasback Redhead Ring-necked Duck Greater Scaup Lesser Scaup HARLEQUIN DUCK Black Scoter Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter COMMON EIDER Long-tailed Duck Common Goldeneye Common Merganser Hooded Merganser Red-breasted Merganser Ruddy Duck Virginia Rail Sora King Rail American Coot Sandhill Crane Black-bellied Plover Semipalmated Plover Ruddy Turnstone Greater Yellowlegs Willet Lesser Yellowlegs Long-billed Dowitcher American Woodcock Dunlin Western Sandpiper Purple Sandpiper Razorbill Black-headed Gull Iceland Gull Common Loon Horned Grebe Great Cormorant Northern Gannet Black-crowned Night Heron Barn Owl Barred Owl Short-eared Owl Red-headed Woodpecker Eastern Phoebe WESTERN KINGBIRD Common Raven Tree Swallow Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Chipping Sparrow American Tree Sparrow Seaside Sparrow Nelson’s Sparrow LARK SPARROW Eastern Meadowlark Rusty Blackbird Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Pine Warbler Palm Warbler Prairie Warbler WESTERN TANAGER PAINTED BUNTING
Hotline: Birdline Delaware Date: January 9, 2026 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, January 9th this is Birdline Delaware from the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science in Greenville. The Birdline is sponsored by the Delaware Ornithological Society (DOS). Statements made on the Birdline do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors. This is Andy Ednie, glad to be with you. The unofficial Delaware Annual List increased to 164 species.
This afternoon, a WESTERN KINGBIRD was found along the main entrance to Little Creek Wildlife Area east of Dover. This bird was seen in brush near the entrance off Bayshore Road (Route 9). This is before you get to the DNREC Fisheries office on the north side of the road.
The previously reported WESTERN TANAGER continues at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. The bird is seen behind the maintenance sheds at the headquarters building along the Black Farm Trail. BLACK-BELLIED and SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, plus GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS were seen from the Dike Trail. AMERICAN WOODCOCK was reported at Foord’s Landing and the Prime Hook entrance road. SANDHILL CRANES were heard calling along Cods Road. WILLET, WESTERN SANDPIPER, SNOW BUNTINGS, and SHORT-EARED OWL were found at Fowler’s Beach. SURF, BLACK and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS were reported off Broadkill Beach. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON was seen at the Marvel Salt Marsh Preserve in north Slaughters Beach
A flock of 6 COMMON EIDERS were seen off Herring Point in Cape Henlopen State Park. CLAPPER RAIL was reported off the Salt Marsh Spur Nature Trail. SNOW BUNTING, BRANT, RUDDY TURNSTONE and NORTHERN GANNET were seen at Cape Henlopen Point. A flock of Warblers in the dunes at the Point included an ORANGE-CROWN and PRAIRIE WARBLER. PINE WARBLER was found in the Cape Henlopen campground. RED-BREASTED and BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCHES were seen at the Seaside Nature Center. An ICELAND GULL was seen on the bay shore at Cape Henlopen State Park and from the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. COMMON EIDER, RAZORBILL, GREAT CORMORANT and 30 PURPLE SANDPIPERS were seen on the Lewes outer breakwater. An adult BLACK-HEADED GULL was found at Gordon’s Pond along with PINE SISKIN and TREE SWALLOW. There was a high count of 5 BLACK-HEADED GULLS at the Wolfe’s Neck Wastewater Treatment Plant but unfortunately this is restricted access. There was a flock of 120 CANVASBACK on Silver Lake in Rehoboth Beach.
A RAZORBILL was seen at Indian River Inlet along with HARLEQUIN DUCK and a peak count of 12 COMMON EIDERS. Other waterfowl included BRANT, LONG-TAILED DUCK, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER, HORNED GREBE and GREAT CORMORANT. RUDDY TURNSTONE and PURPLE SANDPIPER were seen on the jetty. SEASIDE and NELSON’S SPARROW were found in the marsh by the south campground. BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON and COMMON GOLDENEYE were seen at Burton’s Island in Delaware Seashore State Park. BLUE-WINGED TEALS and over 200 AMERICAN WIGEON with SORA and KING RAIL were found at Assawoman Wildlife Area.
A LARK SPARROW was seen in the front lawn of the University of Delaware Marine School off Pilottown Road near Canary Creek Nature Preserve. NASHVILLE and PALM WARBLERS were found at the McCabe Nature Preserve near Milton. NELSON’S SPARROW along with RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was reported at Ridgewood Road near Long Neck. EVENING GROSBEAKS continues to be seen at Trap Pond State Park. These birds were seen along the Bob Trail about a half mile south of the nature center along the western side of the pond. There is an interpretive sign for “Hidden Forest” in the vicinity where the GROSBEAKS were found. Also seen in that area was CHIPPING SPARROW, PURPLE FINCH, and all three species of NUTHATCH, RED-BREASTED, BROWN-HEADED and WHITE-BREASTED. A pair of ICELAND GULLS were also found at the Jones Crossroad landfill near Hardscrabble.
The previously reported PAINTED BUNTING continue to be seen at Bear Swamp in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. This bird, believed to be an immature male was seen at the southeast side of the auto-tour just past the Bear Swamp tower parking area at the edge of the marsh. SORA and VIRGINIA RAIL was found at the bridge near the Bear Swamp tower along with CHIPPING and AMERICAN TREE SPARROW. AMERICAN BITTERN was seen at the Shearness Pool spillway. Waterfowl reported were CACKLING GOOSE, TUNDRA and MUTE SWAN, plus COMMON and HOODED MERGANSER. GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS were found at Bear Swamp. EASTERN PHOEBE was seen near Cottman Pool along the Raymond auto-tour. Seven SANDHILL CRANES were found along Raymond Neck Road. BARRED and BARN OWLS were reported at the refuge this week.
The previously reported BARNACLE GOOSE continues to be seen in the north Smyrna area, off Massey’s Church Road or at Wheatley’s Pond off Route 300 in Clayton. A ROSS’S GOOSE was also seen at Masseys Church Road this week. The flock of BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS on Wheatley’s Pond is now down to a single immature individual. WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were seen at the Aquatic Center along Route 9 at Woodland Beach. Park in open lot across from the construction. SHORT-EARED OWLS were reported at Port Mahon along with LONG-TAILED and RUDDY DUCK. LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, GREATER YELLOWLEGS and DUNLIN were seen at the Port Mahon impoundments of Little Creek Wildlife Area.
A GREAT EGRET was seen at Canal Pond off Cox Neck Road near Delaware City. Waterfowl reported included AMERICAN WIGEON, RING-NECKED DUCK, COMMON and HOODED MERGANSER plus AMERICAN COOT. The spillway along the Augustine Creek Causeway along Route 9 south of Port Penn had an interesting collection of diving ducks including LONG-TAILED DUCK, RED-BREASTED MERGANSER and COMMON LOON. SANDHILL CRANE was reported from Augustine Creek. WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS were found at the maintenance yards along Collins Beach Road in Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area. GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE and EASTERN MEADOWLARK were seen at Charles Price Park in Middletown.
The previously reported drake REDHEAD found at Brandywine Creek State Park was last reported on Saturday, further north up the creek towards First State National Historical Park. The RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS continue to be seen at the First State south of Ramsey Road. COMMON MERGASNSERS and a NORTHERN PINTAIL were seen along the creek. A COMMON RAVEN at Harry’s Pond at the Brandywine Town Center, along with RING-NECKED DUCK, HOODED MERGANSER, and NORTHERN PINTAIL. RUSTY BLACKBIRDS were reported at Phillips Park in Newark.
Thanks to all the people that make the Birdline possible, including Samantha Stetzer, Al Guarente, Peter Schuyler, Debbie Blair, Lisa Smith, Will Krohn, Erin Betancourt, Chris Rankin, Glen Lovelace, Terry Villanueva, Wendy Cesario, Rod Murray, Kent Raymond, Natalie Cavallieri, Lynn Jackson, Martin Selzer, Carolyn Holland, Mary Braun, Sue Gruver, Greg Gough, Phil Misseldine, Steve McInnis, Rob Blye, Richard Julian, Alice Mohrman, Nancy Cunningham, Anthony Gonzon, Chris and Karen Bennett, Sean O’Conner, Jim and Amy White, Ryleigh Sweet, Melissa Lafferty, Alison Ellicott, Walt Blackwell, Andy Jenkins, Frank Rohrbacher, Sheila Smith, Amy and Declan O’Neil, John and Andy Dunn, Joe Francis, Mike Moore, Bruce Peterjohn, and Joe Swertinski. Special thanks to Joe Tricarico for list distribution to DOS members. Birdline needs your sightings. Please call your reports into 302-463-0113 or email <ednieap...> Until next week, this is Andy Ednie wishing you good birding and Ha! ppy New Year!
