Delmarva Birding Weekends

Delmarva Birding Weekends offer birding field trips to see and experience the Delmarva peninsula diversity of habitats and the variety of birds that inhabit this unique area. CLICK HERE for more information about Delmarva Birding Weekends.

Smith Island Pelican Tours

The tour I went on was the Smith Island Pelican Tour. This 6 hour tour began in Cristfield, MD where we boarded the Captain Jason II that took us to Smith Island (of course birding on the way) where we had lunch at the world-famous Drum Point Market before boarding smaller boats to visit the pelican nesting colony.

The Brown Pelican

The brown pelican population nearly vanished in North America during the 1940s due to the use of the pesticide DDT, as a result In 1970, the Brown Pelican was placed on the Federal Endangered Species List. DDT was banned in the United Stated in 1972, after which reproduction soon improved, and pelican numbers began to rise. Brown pelicans migrate to the Chesapeake in April to nest. This tour is scheduled around that period so that birders can see the young. This year a May storm disturbed the colony so the nesting cycle was later than usual. As you will see in my pictures we saw young at varies stages of development. The youngest about a week old.

Date of trip 11 August 2022.