Birding Bombay Hook, Delaware

Delaware is a fantastic place to spend the day birding. I spent most of Saturday driving the impoundments and climbing the multiple observation platforms at Bombay Hook NWR. I ended my trip with 77 species, not a bad day's turnout. I was impressed with the numbers of American Avocet in Raymond Pool where I began my trek.

The Raymond Tower Trail had some bird activity including a young Acadian Flycatcher and some Eastern Towhee. Once on the tower I scanned the flocks of shorebirds for anything interesting. No birds in the shorebird flocks stood out, but a bird of prey flew over the tower that caught my attention. This raptor had a very specific pointed wing shape and a slightly flared tail as it soared overhead.

My first impression was Accipiter or maybe Harrier but the wing shape was all wrong. There were no flared primaries like on a Harrier, and the wing shape was off for either common Accipiter. It took a second to sink in, Mississippi Kite, of course. there had been two in Waretown, where I work for quite a few years. I was familiar with their body structure and this flyover bird ticked all the boxes.

I tallied almost 500 American Avocet, and dozens of other shorebirds from Raymond's Pool Tower. There were so many Blue Grosbeaks and Indigo Buntings calling all around the drive. Marsh wrens were singing their insect like reedy notes from the phragmites along the dikes. A Pileated Woodpecker even graced us with its presence in the woods near Parson Point.

As I continued around the refuge i made it to one of my favorite spots: Finis Pool. This location has one of the densest growths of Mistletoe I have ever seen. All of the trees on the east side of the pool are covered in the parasitic plant. I don't get to see this plant very much in New Jersey. Bombay Hook is a fantastic place to spend a couple hours if you can get there.

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