Spring on the Delaware Bay
A drive up the Delaware Bay in spring can be one of the most unforgettable local experiences on any scale. The spectacle of Red Knot, Sanderlings, Semipalmated Sandpipers, and Ruddy Turnstone jammed on a beach feasting and fighting for their caviar, Horseshoe Crab eggs, can be amazing. I say “can be” because if you don’t go to the right places, you might be disappointed.
The obvious question is “‘What are the best places?” The answers in nature are frequently much tougher. The ocean and bay change constantly; the temperature, depth of sand, and tides are all in flux, affecting where the Horseshoe Crabs go to lay their eggs. They tend to be most active on high tides, so it is always good to wait for full moons. However, every year is different, and birds move over large distances. Each year is different—but each day is, too. The general rule with wildlife is to look for the food; the birds are rarely far away.
While it is easy to ask around, I tend to just get in my car and go to lots of places. While you could start at Higbee Beach, I usually go up to Miami Avenue and Norbury’s Landing (Millman Boulevard) in Del Haven. The beach between these two places can be great, particularly the outflow just north of Miami Avenue. This is a fantastic place to go for a walk and it is typically fairly quiet; you definitely feel like you have left the crowds. The tide has a massive range, going way out into the bay. It also comes all the way in for quite a few hours each day, making the beach inaccessible for walkers. Low tide is fine but mid tide is the best, particularly when it is coming in and the birds are coming towards you. The sand is hard high up on the beach, but if you go further out, be prepared to sink, and get a little dirty. Be brave, take your shoes off and let that sand and mud squish between your toes. The birds are not usually at their densest here but a wider variety and the opportunity to really stretch your legs make up for it.
Once you get back to your car, head out to Route 47 and go north. After a few miles, turn left onto Highs Beach Road. A couple hundred yards further, just in case you miss the turning, you can go on the similar Pierce’s Point Road. The roads go through some nice woodland before arriving at the beach. There are houses near both beaches, so be careful where you park. There is a parking area at the north end of Pierce’s Point Road and access onto the beach. It is also a great place to view the beach all the way to Reeds and try and work out where the largest concentrations of birds are. The mudflats are less extensive here, so birds tend to be pushed up to the beach more.
I often see folks walking out towards birds. The best way is always to be patient. Try and situate yourself in one place and anticipate where you think the birds are going to move to. If you sit still for a long period, you will be surprised how close they will often come. I always say familiarity breeds contempt! I love watching them trying to work out how close they feel it is safe to come. A sudden movement or noise and they will be off like a flash. Their priority is to feed, so learning to be motionless and stay as low to the ground as possible is key.
If things are not to your liking here, head back to Route 47 and go to the next set of roads that go west to the bay. Kimble’s, Cook’s, and Reed’s Beach Roads all pass through open marshes full of Seaside Sparrows, Clapper Rails, and Willets. You can park next to the beaches, with Reed’s Beach having several places to watch birds. These days most places are roped off, and walking onto the beach is prohibited so the birds can feed effectively. A large team of scientists have studied the birds since the 90s in a quest to save them. Led by Larry Niles, the invaluable data this team has collected from its research is the science that was needed to get Washington—and others—to act. Numbers are well up from their lows, but far from the 1980s when I first went to Reed’s Beach and was blown away by the volume of birds.
I just love watching the feeding frenzy. It is so interesting to carefully observe and try to work out their behavior. They all mix but are often loosely with their own species. Is this for safety or is it because the food is most suitable for them here? They are often very aggressive, giving others a hard peck to get them out of there. Sanderling, Red Knot, and Ruddy Turnstone are built like pocket battleships. With short, thick legs, heavy bodies, and long wings, they are designed to carry large amounts of fuel, travel long distances, and withstand windy conditions. Tall, elegant birds simply couldn’t handle it. Can you imagine having to double your bodyweight in less than two weeks and then they fly nonstop to the Hudson Bay or even all the way to high Arctic to breed? Simply amazing!
The Semipalmated Sandpiper is sort of the odd one out. Slimmer, with longer legs, it is far from robust like the others—they are much smaller, too. They tend to be in tighter groups and are often along the shoreline, preferring to pick off the surface rather than dig. Of course, this is all logical if you just slow it down, carefully watch, and think about it. It’s great to watch others rush around going about their business and you be the one to just soak it all in. That is why you are at the beach.
