Monday, November 1

Rob & Vicki 1 Comment

BOMBAY HOOK NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

Day 22 – It was 50 degrees this morning, sunny and windy. We slept better last night because we didn’t have to leave the hallway light on; Rob attached a flashlight to the wall of the shower instead. Not nearly the glaring light as the night before. The girls also slept well – they all discovered their pads were heated again.

We checked for cat accidents on the video; so far, so good, everything is fine. We left in the morning for Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge. We’d been to Bombay Hook once before many years ago. Here’s some information about the Wildlife Refuge: From the Guide to the National Wildlife Refuges, by Laura and William Riley, Collier Books 1993, “When the Greater Snow Geese arrive at Bombay Hook from their nesting grounds in the high Arctic tundra, the sight is so overwhelming it has been likened to a waterfowl equivalent of the wildebeest hordes on Africa’s Serengeti Plain.”

“Up to 75,000 of the glistening white birds, more than at any other refuge, gather to spend the fall and most of them the winter as well on these 15,122 acres of tidal marsh, fields, and water impoundments. They can seem to cover the water like a blanket of snow; when they rise all at once their high nasal calls and the whirring of their black-tipped wings fill the air and the effect is unforgettable.”

“The Canada Geese present a different and no less wondrous sight as wave after wave of them, some 30,000 starting in early October, come into the marsh at dusk, their V-flight patterns and honking seeming to be everywhere overhead. Then, as if by signal, they will ‘whiffle’ their wings and drop like falling leaves over the waving grass and simply disappear from view. The tall Spartina Alterniflora appears exactly as it did before the geese came into view. It is like a fascinating optical trick.” For more information: Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, R.D. 1, Box 147, Smyrna, Delaware 19977. Phone: (302) 653-9345. Visitor Center phone: (302) 653-6872.

Bombay Hook was 20 miles north and east from our campground. On the way, we stopped at Subway for lunch, knowing we’d spend the entire day at the Refuge. And we did. We did some hiking and Rob climbed two observation towers, but mostly we drove the excellent wildlife drive – a couple of times, seeing different things each time. Visitors can also ride their bikes on the wildlife drive; today was quite windy, making it seem a lot colder than 62 degrees. If the weather is nice Tuesday or Wednesday, we may go back and ride our bikes.

The Snow Geese hadn’t arrived yet, but there were plenty of Canada Geese and a couple of Mute Swans, more of both to arrive soon for sure. We did see the phenomenal spectacle of the Snow Geese on our previous trip to the Refuge. Many other birds were there for our visit today. And even though it was a Monday, there were plenty of people cruising the wildlife drive along with us, many of them taking pictures with huge lenses. The biggest line-up for pictures was to see the juvenile Peregrine Falcon perched in a tree. It was a great, very relaxing, day.

Note: Be patient when viewing slideshow as there are 61 pictures and it may take a while to load!

Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Raymond Observation Tower, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Boardwalk Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Boardwalk Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Boardwalk Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Boardwalk Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Boardwalk Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Boardwalk Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Boardwalk Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Boardwalk Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Critter tracks, Boardwalk Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Boardwalk Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Boardwalk Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Boardwalk Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
White-tail deer, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Raymond Observation Tower, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Lots of birders on the wildlife drive, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Egret, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Forster’s Tern, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Forster’s Tern, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Forster’s Tern, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Blue Heron, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Blue Heron, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Double-Crested Cormorant, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Black Ducks, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Mute Swan, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Turkey Vulture, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Egrets, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Northern Shoveler, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Northern Harrier, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Blue Heron, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Bald Eagle, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Yellowlegs, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Interesting bug, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
American Avocets and Canada Geese, Raymond Observation Tower, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
American Avocets, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
American Avocets, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Blue Heron, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Blue Heron, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Peregrine Falcon, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Peregrine Falcon, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Peregrine Falcon, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Peregrine Falcon, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Egrets, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Egrets, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Rob taking pictures from the observation tower, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Egrets, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Egrets, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Egrets, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Egrets, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Egrets, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Egrets, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Great Egrets, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Interesting fungus, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Interesting fungus, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Interesting tree fungus, Bear Swamp Trail, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE
Canada Geese, Bombay Hook NWR, Smyrna, DE

1 Response

  1. Gail November 3, 2021 / 8:44 pm

    These photos are breathtaking!! Thanks. I must have a mushroom/fungus fetish because I think the pictures of the tree fungus towards the end of the series are spectacular!!!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *