The Flyer

DOS welcomes Scott Northey to DOS Council in 2020! Scott will serve a three-year term as a Council Member-at-Large. Prior to joining Council, Scott played an instrumental role in working with DOS leadership on a successful grant application through his employer, Chemours, which has the potential to award over $100,000 towards DOS initiatives such as youth birding, the annual Wilmington Falcon Watch, and the Delaware Bird-A-Thon. Scott is an Environmental Compliance and Strategy Manager at Chemours’ Chambers Works Facility in Deepwater, NJ. He has spent almost 30 years working in the environmental field in the areas of chemical manufacturing, regulatory compliance, remediation, and sustainability. Scott has been married for 25 years to his wife Maureen, and has two children: Ryan, a senior at the University of Delaware, and Maggie, a high school senior attending the Joffery School of Ballet in NYC.

How long have you been a DOS member?  About 4 years.

What is the best thing about being a part of DOS?  The knowledge-sharing and networking amongst members.

Do you have a ‘spark’ bird?  Bald Eagle. About 14 years ago, we discovered a nesting pair at my place of work, and I have been monitoring their nests ever since. That has grown into Osprey platforms, owl boxes, songbird boxes, Kestrel boxes and an abundance of eBird checklists.

What is your favorite bird and why?  I am drawn to the warblers -- the colors of the Black-throated Blue has always been my favorite.

Do you have a favorite birding patch?  I live close to Bellevue State Park and tend to visit there a lot. It is an under-birded location but on certain days it can yield some great birds -- especially warblers in migration seasons.

Do you have a favorite ‘type’ of birding?  I prefer birding walks through the local state parks and natural areas. You get to see some of the amazing locations our local area has to offer while getting some exercise while birding.

What’s the farthest you’ve traveled to bird or see a particular bird? Since I still have some local life birds to find, I have not ventured too far yet for a particular bird. I joined some fellow DOS members this past winter for a day trip to Barnegat Lighthouse (NJ) to get a few ‘lifers’: Purple Sandpiper, Harlequin Duck, Iceland Gull and King Eider (plus an Ipswich Sparrow).

Where (that you haven’t been yet) do you daydream about birding most?  Alaska and/or Colombia.

Who’s been your most influential birding mentor?  Not sure I can name just one. I got started in birding about 5-6 years ago as part of the Salem (NJ) Christmas Bird Count. The site where I work has about 700 acres of open habitat along the Delaware River and has been part of the Salem Circle count since the 1980s. For several years I hosted some great local south Jersey birders which allowed them to visit our site for the count. I think it was 2016 when I finally bought a pair of binoculars and that changed my world – everything wasn’t a small brown bird anymore. So, Marilyn Henry, Scott Hendersen, and Ron Kegel got me off to a great start. Then once I found DOS, Bill Stewart, and Andy Ednie were the two that have taught me the most about birding but also a lot about the history of birding in Delaware.

Do you create bird-related art?  I have taken some pictures from time to time but don’t consider myself a wildlife photographer – included are some of my lucky shots.

What advice would you give a new birder?  Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. You will learn something new almost every day you go birding. And most birders, especially DOS members, are always willing to teach you what they know so rely on the walks, talks and events to increase your knowledge. And when on a walk, tell the guides if you are looking for a ‘lifer’ or something special. I think seasoned birders get as much satisfaction as finding you a life bird as you do seeing it for the first time.

How have birds changed your life?  I think the best part of my early birding career is gaining knowledge of the abundance of natural areas in Delaware and surrounding states. I lived in Delaware since the second grade but mostly knew only the local state parks in New Castle County and the Delaware beaches. In the last 3-4 years, thanks to DOS, I have been to some areas in Delaware I never seen before including the Bayshore marshes and beaches, Bombay Hook and Prime Hook NWR, DE WMAs and some private areas only accessible through DOS-sponsored field trips (i.e. Granogue). The protection and conservation of these locations and hopefully more lands like it in the future are now something I can appreciate more and more, and I hope to contribute to that effort through my membership in DOS.