by John Dunn
On Sunday the 7th of May, 13 excited birders had a fun morning at Blackbird State Forest led by ornithologist Ian Stewart. We started off at the popular Tybout Tract with great looks at Wood Thrush, Veery, and Acadian Flycatcher, and were serenaded by Ovenbirds and Scarlet Tanagers as we strolled through the woods. We then zipped over to the White Tract, one of Blackbird’s most obscure corners, where local experts John and Andy Dunn had recently seen a Red-headed Woodpecker and Prothonotary Warbler. Sure enough, we got to see both of these sought-after species, which were life birds to several attendants.
Red-headed Woodpecker by John Dunn.
A smaller group of us finished the day at the Ennis Tract where the open grasslands added a few new species to the daily list. We all had a fun morning exploring this interesting and under-birded site, much of which was new ground for most of us. Great maps of the different tracts of this state forest (free to enter) are available at Forest Maps – Delaware Department of Agriculture – State of Delaware.