The guided bird walk that took place in the Middle Run Natural Area on the late afternoon of May 29th, 2025 between the members of the Delaware Audubon Society and the Delaware Black Birders organizations did not disappoint. Eighteen birders of all ages attended: 5 members of the DAS board and 13 Black Birders, including Thea Lopez, Youth Ambassador with the Delaware Nature Society. Before the group had even left the parking lot, there were sightings of multiple Cedar Waxwings feasting on ripe serviceberries and one adorable, hungry, and confused newly fledged Northern Cardinal who ignored calls from mama in favor of congregating with humans!
Fortified by that exciting start and armed with binoculars and several telephoto range cameras, the group set out on a two-hour walk, led by ornithologist and guide Ian Stewart from the Delaware Nature Society. First up: the fields, where the group spotted Tree Swallows, Eastern Bluebirds, an Indigo Bunting, and an Eastern Kingbird, to name a few. Descending into the woods, sounds of Wood Thrush and Ovenbirds teased until spottings of both occurred. The Ovenbird must have had a nest of chicks very close to the trail because it kept flitting back forth between trees, keeping a tasty bug in its beak, as it waited for the group to leave.
Male Scarlet Tanager. Photo credit Gayle Jones.
With its dense and diverse woods and a myriad of stream and creek crossings, the trails at Middle Run yielded other walk highlights: a male Scarlet Tanager, normally only spotted high up in tree canopies, descended to a tree snag, where it sang and preened itself, probably in the hopes of catching the attention of a mate; an Eastern Wood Peewee; White- and Red-Eyed Vireos, and many others. On the walk back up to the parking lot, a Great Blue Heron was spotted flying gloriously above.
In all, 30 birds were recorded, and everyone agreed it was a completely worthwhile experience.