Ocean City

The Atlantic coast, from Ocean City in Maryland to Cape Henlopen in Delaware, provides many locations to look for wintering seabirds. Below are a few of the best, listed in the order of DC Audubon's usual winter itinerary.

Directions:
(Please bring road maps that will cover these Maryland and Delaware areas)

1. From DC, take Route 50 all the way to Ocean City. Upon entering Ocean City, turn right immediately onto Philadelphia Ave and follow it to the end to the parking lot area. We should be arriving about 9:30 A.M..
2. After spending time at the inlet, we will head north on Philadelphia Ave. Which, I believe is Route 528 which changes to state Route 1 at the Delaware state line. When you enter Delaware Seashore State Park, you will come to a bridge over Indian River Inlet. Exit right just before the bridge and go to the end of the parking area. We will spend time looking for Boat-tailed Grackles, Great Cormorants, loons, grebes and waterfowl as well as many other species.
3. After Indian River Inlet we will head north into Rehobeth. When you get to Rehobeth on Rte. 1, go straight onto Bayard Ave. Continue straight to the endo of the road, which has become Second St, where a left turn on De. 1A will take you back to De. 1 north of town. Look for Silver Lake. There is parking there. This has been an excellent place for waterfowl and I once had an Iceland Gull begging for food.
4. From Rehobeth, we will continue north to Cape Henlopen State Park. Get back onto Rte 1 and look for signs for Rte. 9 and Cape Henlopen State Park. Once you are in the park continue all the way to the last parking lot which overlooks the dunes. This has been a hot spot for rarities in the last several years. We have also found Brown-headed Nuthatches in this park.