Shorebirds Starting to Return
Date Posted: Saturday, March 29th, 2014
(Photo by Chris Bennett)
As Spring finally arrives and the water begins to warm, the sounds of Slaughter Beach will be filled with calling shorebirds as they arrive from southern wintering grounds on their journey to the Arctic. Beginning in late March, flocks of Dunlin will appear on the flats at low tide, growing in number as they fatten up. You may also be lucky enough to find some American Avocets out there, too. Joined with them in the Harbor, folks can also find American Oystercatchers and Black-bellied Plovers foraging along the sandy edges and the rocks. In April, other species begin to arrive, like our summer resident Willets that nest in the salt marshes surrounding the town. Look for these loud birds with striking black and white wing markings as they fly in circles calling for their mates or warding off intruders. In late April, Ruddy Turnstones start to funnel in, followed in May by Short-billed Dowitchers, Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers, and, of course, the amazing Red Knot. Many of these species spend a few short days consuming as many Horseshoe Crab eggs as possible to gain enough weight to finish their trip to the northern breeding grounds. For the best shorebird viewing, time your trip to coincide with high tides around the new and full moons in late April and May. Birds are also present at low tide, but can be distant and more difficult to see. Shorebirds can be found at any of the public beach access areas, especially around high tides. At other times, visit the DuPont Nature Center, where you can scan the Harbor for a variety of species. Whether you are a beginner or novice bird watcher or a seasoned and experienced birder, Spring shorebird migration at Slaughter Beach is a spectacle not to be missed!
Here is a great YouTube video on how to identify shorebirds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSO9WWX7Svg
You can also visit the Delaware Shorebird Project’s shorebird identification training modules at http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/fw/Shorebirds/Pages/TrainingMod.aspx.
