Sussex County’s numerous ponds and rivers are perfect for canoeing and kayaking. Naturalist-led canoe outings are regularly offered through several of the state parks. More than seven miles of canoe trails run through the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. On the western side of the county, the Nanticoke River and its tributaries provide miles of calm waters. Canoe and kayak rentals are available at the state parks or contact one of the Chambers of Commerce for local rental businesses. Most towns feature canoe launch points.
To arrange a professionally guided tour contact:
Kayak Rentals at Cape Henlopen State Park Fishing Pier
Saturdays, September 13 - October 11: 12:30pm - 4pm
Sundays, September 14 to October 12: 10am - 4pm
Rentals include PFD, seat, and paddle. Participants must have paddling experience. Single and tandem sit-on-top: $15 per preson, per hour. For more information, call 302-644-6720 or 302-645-6852.
For a comprehensive guide to water sports in Delaware, visit www.ecodelaware.com
The information posted here has come directly from the DelawareBirdingTrail.org site. This is oneof the most beautifully compiled websites, as it depicts every spectacular species of Bird from ordinary to unique, that you will be privileged to view and enjoy, as you travel Birding across the Delaware Coastal regions.
Visit Coastal Delaware and the Delaware Birding Trail.org for an infinite amount of fine tuned birding information, and maps to trails of interest. Additionally there is detailed information regarding all year Birding, as well as Birding Regions, Tides, Weather and more…… their detailed information says it all!
Enjoy your time on Coastal Delaware!
For a comprehensive guide to wildlife watching in Delaware, visit www.ecodelaware.com.
Breeding Songbirds
Many of Delaware’s best birding sites are clustered along its coast, but its most extensive forests are farther inland. Beginning in late March, these woodlands echo with bird songs. More voices join the chorus through April and into May. Nestlings are fed and fledged through June into July, when many species prepare to migrate. Places like Trap Pond State Park, Redden State Forest, Nanticoke Wildlife Area, the Great Cypress Swamp, White Clay Creek State Park, and Brandywine Creek State Park all feature especially fine aggregations of breeding birds.
Outstanding shorebirding in Delaware doesn’t begin or end with the horseshoe crab spawning in late May. From late April through early June, the freshwater impoundments along the river and bay coasts, as well as the ocean beaches, host impressive numbers and diversity of sandpipers, plovers, and others. The fall shorebird migration, which begins in July, peaks in August, and continues well into October, is also outstanding, even better than spring in terms of species diversity. In either season, rarities like Curlew Sandpiper and Ruff are relatively frequent. Some great shorebird spots include the Raymond, Shearness, and Bear Swamp pools at Bombay Hook, Ted Harvey and Woodland Beach Wildlife Management Areas, and Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge.
Delaware’s Species & Spectacles
Red Knots and Horseshoe Crabs: A Shorebird Phenomenon
Each spring, the Delaware Bay plays host to one of nature’s most amazing and bizarre annual rituals: the mass spawning of Horseshoe Crabs. These harmless, but somewhat menacing-looking creatures storm the bay beaches on high tides, burying huge numbers of pinhead-sized eggs in the damp sand. Countless thousands of these morsels wash out, or are dug out by successive cohorts of crabs, turning the beach into a natural caviar buffet. Hordes of famished Red Knots, Ruddy Turnstones, Sanderlings, Semipalmated Sandpipers, and others stop here to replenish their exhausted fat stores before continuing the arduous journey from Latin America to their Arctic breeding grounds.
Birders who wish to experience this spectacle should be aware that its exact character varies from year to year, and depends on a rather complex interplay of Horseshoe Crabs, birds, tides, and weather. A good place to start your visit is the new DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Reserve at the north end of Slaughter Beach. It’s located adjacent to some of the richest spawning and birding beaches.
Port Mahon Road east of Little Creek can also be excellent, as can bayshore areas of Milford Neck, and Prime Hook. Shorebird numbers are usually highest from about May 15 to May 30. Best viewing of shorebirds is often on a falling or rising tide, when tidal flats are not too extensive. Please be extremely cautious of disturbing feeding activity - if the birds retreat or flush, you’re too close. Back off, and keep motion to an absolute minimum. If the birds do not soon return, you are still too close. Thank you for following these simple guidelines.
What is the Delaware Birding Trail?
The creation of the Delaware Birding Trail was a one and a half year collaborative effort by Delaware Audubon, Delmarva Ornithological Society, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Its purpose is to educate, inform and encourage both instate and out of state birders to experience the wealth of birdlife Delaware has to offer.
Internationally known as the Shorebird Capital of the world, the bay shoreline along Kent and Sussex counties, in both spring and fall, is teeming with hundreds of thousands of migratory shorebirds. But the abundance of birds calling Delaware home or just taking a needed rest stop does not end with shorebirds. Fall and winter bring hawk migration along with thousands of waterfowl and the snow goose spectacle, and spring and summer begin with colorful migrant songbirds and end with the breeding season.
The Delaware Birding Trail consists of 27 of the best birding sites around the state which will allow a visitor of any age or skill level to see and experience the incredible diversity of species and habitat that Delaware offers. ——————————————————-
Sites on the Trail?
Birdwatching
With its tranquil ponds, protected wildlife areas and miles of coastline, Southern Delaware is a popular stop-off for migratory birds on the Atlantic Flyway. This translates into excellent birdwatching throughout the area. Forests, fields, freshwater ponds and coastal marshes are home to osprey and a wide variety of other bird species. Most of Southern Delaware’s natural areas are filled with songbirds, waterfowls, and raptors.
Noted birdwatching sites include: Abbott’s Mill Nature Center in Milford, Assawoman Wildlife Refuge in Frankford, Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, Cape May-Lewes Ferry, Delaware Seashore State Park in Rehoboth Beach, Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Milton, and Trap Pond State Park in Laurel.
Delaware Birding Trail
For a detailed listing of popular birding locations in Delaware and to access the official Delaware Birding Trail, please visit www.DelawareBirdingTrail.org
For a comprehensive guide to wildlife watching in Delaware, visit www.ecodelaware.com.
