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GOING BIRDING?
Where to go birding this month in the Delaware Valley Region

May Spring migration is in full swing – songbird and shorebird migration peak during the first 3 weeks. Penn’s Woods come alive as the “southern” breeders set up territories and the migrants move through. 20 warbler species are possible in a day. The last week of the month along the Delaware bayshore is peak refueling time for knots, sanderlings and turnstones as they feed on horseshoe crab eggs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suggested Birding Locations for May

	Bowman’s Hill, Bucks County, PA – the last 3 weeks of the months are good for breeders such as Kentucky and Worm-eating Warbler and Louisiana Waterthrush, Pileated Woodpecker, Acadian Flycatcher, Scarlet Tanager, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Yellow-throated Vireo and even possibly Cerulean Warbler. The tower area is good for migrating Blackburian Warblers
	Carpenter’s Woods, Philadelphia County, PA – a great concentration of warblers including Cape May, Tennessee, Bay-breasted, Canada and both waterthrushes; vireos; woodpeckers; flycatchers and thrushes.
	Delaware Bay Shore; Reeds Beach, Thompson’s Beach, Cape May County, NJ and Mispillion Harbor, Sussex County, DE – Red Knots, Sanderlings, Turnstones, Laughing Gulls are all feeding on Horseshoe Crab eggs, fueling northbound migration
	White Clay Creek SP, New Castle County, Newark DE – is a prime warbler migrant spot; it has the states only nesting Cerulean Warblers (no tapes, please!) and is a very attractive, almost traffic-free walk.
	Prime Hook NWR, Sussex County, DE – the Visitor Center has long and short walks in woodland, by marsh and bayside and can produce over 150 species in a day's visit.
	Brandywine Creek SP and the adjoining Woodland Estates, New Castle County, DE – is (arguably) the most attractive area of Delaware and has trails for walking, mountain biking and horses. All of these trails which can give an excellent selection of resident, nesting migrant and through-passage migrants.
	John Heinz NWR “Tinicum”, Philadelphia County, PA – The "warbler woods" near the nature center can at times be sensational for migrating passerines, including all the later warblers, as well as Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Scarlet Tanager. Nesters include both orioles, Warbling Vireo, Willow Flycatcher and Marsh Wren. Plus, there is always the possibility of seeing some great marsh birds, such as rails bitterns, and egrets.
	Palmyra Cove Nature Park, Burlington County, NJ – is a great migrant trap
	Fort Washington State Park, Montgomery County, PA – can have an intense passerine migration
	Heislerville WMA, Cumberland Co, NJ – the impoundments offer a wide variety of shorebirds sometimes with large concentrations of Semipalmated Sandpipers, Short-billed Dowitchers and Dunlins. It has been in recent years the best site to find Curlew Sandpipers during the last 2 weeks of the month. Waders, terns and gulls can also be found here.
	Ridley Creek SP, Delaware Co, PA – a 2 mile loop along the bridle trail leading from Gradyville Road should produce an assortment of warblers including Blue-winged, Chestnut-sided and singing Kentucky, Yellow-throated Vireo, Wood Thrushes and Veeries as well as Acadian Flycatcher and Louisiana Waterthrushes along the creek. It is also a good spot to find migrating Canada Warblers during the 3rd week of the month.
	Belleplain State Forest, Cape May Co, NJ – a wonderful spot for breeding Prothonotary, Hooded, Prairie, Pine and Worm-eating Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Acadian Flycatcher, Summer and Scarlet Tanager.
	Pennypack Creek Park, Phila County, PA – is a great place before the trees leaf out, with the warblers loving those oak trees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All images © A & J Binns