Nature of Delaware Blog

By: Tim Freiday, Middle Run Project Coordinator On Sunday, September 3, 2017, Delaware Nature Society held the annual Bio-Blitz at Middle Run Natural Area. Although rainy at 6:00 am, the skies cleared by 7:00 am and it turned out to be a very productive day with over 200 different species of organism recorded. In the park,…

Story and photography by Jim White, Senior Fellow for Land and Biodiversity Although I have seen it many times, I still always pause at the sight of an American Kestrel. This smallest, and most colorful, of North American falcons is a master of flight. It can soar high — or hover dragonfly-like over open lands…

By Sally O’Byrne, Trip LeaderPhotos by Robert Tuttle, Jr. A wastewater plant may not be the first place that comes to mind to look for birds, but many birders know the secret; They can prove to be quite good places to find gulls and waterfowl, often unusual in timing or species. Our local plant, operated…

Ian Stewart, Ornithologist One of the best ways to connect with nature is to monitor bird nest boxes. Regularly checking the contents of an active nest box lets you watch the whole breeding cycle unfold before your very eyes! It starts with nest building, progresses through egg laying and nestling rearing and then (hopefully) ends…

By Joe Sebastiani, Ashland Nature Center Manager In these not-so-wintry days with temperatures in the high 60’s, you are the only creature fooled into thinking it is spring.  Plenty of plants, and an abundance of animals are responding as though it is April.  During a walk at Ashland today, with 68 degree heat, I noticed…

By Carrie Scheick, Teen Naturalist Program Leader The Teen Naturalists kicked off 2017 by orienteering at French Creek State Park in Berks County, PA. This 7,339 acre park was logged repeatedly to make charcoal for the Hopewell Furnace, which operated until the late 1800s. The land was sold to the government in the Great Depression, and…