All Upcoming Events and Trips

Citizen Science Volunteers Needed: First State National Historical Park Bird Survey

Photo by Andy Ednie Join the survey! DOS with the cooperation with the National Park Service is embarking on a comprehensive transect survey of the avifauna of the Brandywine Valley (formerly Woodlawn) Tract of First State National Historical Park. The property was preserved for prosperity by William Poole Bancroft with “the vision of open space ... Read more

Monthly Walks at Bombay Hook

Photo by Michael Moore Explore the Forest Discovery Tree Trail at Bombay Hook! The Delaware Ornithological Society sponsors a monthly bird walk, on the 4th - or sometimes the 3rd - Saturday of each month from September through April, which starts 8 am from the visitor center.  The walks will utilize the newly completed Forest ... Read more

Auburn Valley State Park with Declan O’Neil

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker by Declan O'Neil Join us for a morning walk at Auburn Valley. This scenic park provides great habitat for many overwintering species, from woodpeckers to raptors to sparrows. Bring comfortable hiking shoes and a sense of adventure. Contact Declan at [email protected] if you have any questions about this trip. Meet at the Yorklyn Bridge Trail ... Read more

Sea Watch III with Chris Bennett & Anthony Gonzon

Common Loon by Michael Moore Last chance to join Anthony Gonzon and Chris Bennett for a brisk birding adventure at the Indian River Inlet this winter! To be enjoyed at the Southside Day Use Area (parking lot on the south side of Indian River Inlet along the ocean). Come prepared for cold conditions and the ... Read more

DOS March Meeting: “Echoes of the Estuary: Using Sound to Study Marsh Birds” by Kelly Faller

Ashland Nature Center 3511 Barley Mill Road, Hockessin, DE, United States

Doors open at 6:30 pm. Come early to socialize and meet DOS officers and the rest of the birding community! Advances in acoustic technology and artificial intelligence are revolutionizing bird research, making it possible to monitor entire landscapes in new ways. This talk will explore how passive acoustic monitoring is expanding our ability to study ... Read more

Youth Birders: John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge

Ring-necked Ducks by Carolyn Holland On this field trip, we will explore all that this fascinating urban wildlife refuge has to offer,including the largest remaining tidal freshwater marsh in Pennsylvania! There is a lot of birddiversity in the refuge, but we’ll be paying particular attention to waterfowl like wood ducks,wigeons, ring-necked ducks, and mergansers. Raptors, ... Read more

Cedar Swamp Wildlife Area with Anthony Gonzon

Northern Bobwhite by Michael Moore Northern Bobwhites live here! Listen for Northern Bobwhite at the last remaining Delaware stronghold.  We will spend time scanning fields and marshes and take a short walk through coastal woodlands.  Expect early migrants and lingering winter birds.  Dress appropriately.  A Conservation Access Pass is required. Contact Carolyn at [email protected] if ... Read more

Youth Birders: Back to Basics Walk at Bellevue State Park

Eastern Bluebird by Carolyn Holland If you are new to birding or want a refresher on the basics, then this walk is for you! We will learnabout common birds, how to find them, and how to use binoculars to observe them. For currentfamilies, this is a great opportunity to get your bird-curious friends hooked on ... Read more

Augustine Wildlife Area with Anthony Gonzon

Caspian Tern by Carolyn Holland Spend the afternoon birding! Meet at the Ashton Tract to look for neotropical migrants, waterfowl, raptors, terns, gulls and lingering winter birds.  We will visit the Ashton Tract and Port Penn wetlands.  Conservation Access Pass required. Contact Carolyn at [email protected] if you have any questions about this trip.

DOS April Meeting: “Functional Morphology and the Origin of Long-distance Migration in Nightingale-thrushes (Turdidae: Catharus)” by Matt Halley

Delaware Museum of Nature and Science 4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, Delaware, United States

NOTE THIS IS A SPECIAL MEETING AT THE DELAWARE MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Come early to socialize and meet DOS officers and the rest of the birding community! The nightingale-thrushes (genus Catharus) are a clade of (mostly) American songbirds with diverse migratory strategies. With large datasets of molecular and morphometric ... Read more