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Audubon sponsors trip to Delaware shore

By Staff | Jul 6, 2012

The Potomac Valley Audubon Society is sponsoring a birding trip to birding hotspots along the Delaware shore the weekend of August 3-5.

Eastern Panhandle birding expert Matt Orsie, of Summit Point, will lead the trip. Anyone with an interest is welcome to participate, including children. There is no fee but participants will have to cover their own travel expenses and make their own room reservations. Because accommodations fill up fast on the Eastern Shore in the summertime, those planning to join the trip should make room reservations as soon as possible.

The primary location to be visited will be the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, which encompasses 15,978 acres that are mostly tidal salt marsh. Other sites will include Rehobeth Beach, Broadkill Beach Road, Prime Hook Road, Fowler’s Beach Road, Mispillion River, Ted Harvey WMA, Port Mahon Road and Taylor’s Gut.

Early August is a good time to witness shorebird migration, and those species will be the main focus of this trip. But other birds will be included.

For those wanting to caravan to Delaware, the trip party will meet in the parking lot of the Martin’s supermarket at the Jefferson Crossroads Shopping Center by the Route 340/Route 9 intersection just east of Charles Town, and plan to leave from there at 1 p.m. on Friday, August 3.

Those who prefer to travel to Delaware on their own should plan on meeting Mr. Orsie and the other trip participants at 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning in the lobby of the Days Inn Dover, which is located at 272 North DuPont Highway in Dover. The trip party will either have breakfast at the hotel or at a nearby McDonald’s and then consolidate cars to save on entry fees to the Refuge.

Mr. Orsie will be staying at the Days Inn Dover and other participants may also wish to do so. The phone number for the Days Inn is 1-302-674-8002, fax 1-302-674-2195. There are a number of other lodging opportunities in and around Dover.

Participants should plan to wear comfortable walking or hiking boots; bring along bug spray to ward off ticks, mosquitoes and gnats; and bring water and, as necessary, a hat, sunscreen or rain gear. Binoculars will be available for those who do not own any.

For more information contact Mr. Orsie at 304-261-5602 or wvbirder@comcast.net.