American Oystercatchers

American oystercatchers are black and white shorebirds with bright orange beaks that feed and nest on the beach. The Beach-Nesting Bird Program monitors the population and productivity of American oystercatchers in Delaware. An American oystercatcher incubating a nest. (Photo: Henrietta Bellman) These birds begin arriving in Delaware in March, start

---

Least Terns

Least terns are the smallest species of tern in North America, with an orange-yellow beak and mask-like black markings on the head. The Beach-Nesting Bird Program monitors the population and productivity of least terns in Delaware. A male and female least tern conducting a courtship ritual. The male presents the female with

---

Beach-Nesting Birds

Dwindling shorebird populations have landed several species on Delaware’s Endangered Species List. The DNREC Beach-Nesting Bird Program monitors the endangered breeding shorebirds, provides habitat protection, and provides information to the public about beach-nesting species. The Beach-Nesting Bird Program primarily focuses on three species — Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers and Least

---

Educational Programs for Grades K Through 12

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife operates two educational centers that provide free programs and resources to schools and other educational groups. The Aquatic Resources Education Center (AREC) and DuPont Nature Center (DNC) offer a variety of programming focused on aquatic species and other environmental education topics, from microorganisms found in

---

Delaware Inland Bay and Delaware Bay Coast Coastal Storm Risk Management Study

The Coastal Storm Risk Management Study of the Delaware Inland Bays and Delaware Bay Coast (known as the Back Bay Study) will explore potential storm risk management problems and flood risk reduction solutions. It will recommend risk reduction solutions that increase community resilience to coastal storms. The Delaware Inland Bays

---

Delaware Ocean and Bay Plan

DNREC’s Delaware Coastal Programs is developing an Ocean and Bay Plan to protect Delaware’s marine resources, ecological functions and ocean and bay uses. Developing the plan will include public input and review by stakeholders, residents and the public at large. Questions and Answers

---

Availability of Delaware Bay Shellfish Grounds for Leasing

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife is accepting applications for leases of shellfish grounds within the defined boundaries of the shellfish growing area of the Delaware Bay that are not already under lease.

---

Shorebird Volunteer Form

This page is a volunteer registration form for those interested in volunteering to help with the spring field season of the Delaware Shorebird Project. Participants must be at least 18 years of age to volunteer with the Shorebird Project. Commitment Volunteers should plan on committing to

---

Horseshoe Crabs, Shorebirds and the Delaware Bay

You can witness the amazing annual convergence of spawning horseshoe crabs and migratory shorebirds along the Delaware Bayshore every spring. DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor is one of the best places to observe this wonder of nature. The Horseshoe Crabs [button

---

The Delaware Bayshore Initiative

Extending from Pea Patch Island in New Castle County to the City of Lewes in Sussex County, the Delaware Bay shoreline is widely recognized as an area of global ecological significance. Its expansive coastal marshes, shoreline, agricultural lands and forests provide diverse habitat to many species, including

---

Horseshoe Crab Education Resources for Teachers

Each spring during May and June, the ancient, amazing and globally significant ritual of horseshoe crab spawning and mass shorebird migration brings visitors from around the world to our Delaware Bayshore backyards. The Division of Fish and Wildlife offers a variety of resources to support teachers who are educating about this phenomenon. [column md=”5″

---

Aquatic Resources Education Center

The Aquatic Resources Education Center, operated by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, focuses on wetlands, fishing and other aquatic education themes.

---

DuPont Nature Center

DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center is located in the beautiful Mispillion Harbor, where the Mispillion River and Cedar Creek meet and flow out into the Delaware Bay. It is a science-based educational and interpretive facility with interactive exhibits designed to connect people with the Delaware Bay’s natural history and ecology. [column md=”5″ xclass=”col-xs-12

---

Become a Shorebird Project Volunteer

Spring brings the shorebird migration season. DNREC’s Delaware Shorebird Project needs experienced and dedicated volunteers for the field season each spring. To apply, please fill out the Volunteer Information Form. New applicants should include a letter of interest briefly describing their experience and what they hope to gain by volunteering.

---

Delaware Bay Ecology

The Delaware Bay is extraordinarily rich in biological resources. The beaches, mudflats, and marshes that line Delaware Bay provide abundant food and habitat for many species. The Delaware Bay Supports a variety of species. As many as 30 species of shorebirds visit the Delaware Bay in May. The majority are

---

Shorebird Research and Monitoring

Each May, DNREC’s Delaware Shorebird Project carries out its research objectives during the shorebirds’ stopover in the Bay. The brief field season brings long, but rewarding, days on the coast. A Tradition of Research and Partnership Each year, flocks of shorebirds are carefully counted and individually marked

---

The Delaware Shorebird Project

Shorebirds are an important part of the ecology of Delaware’s shorelines. But they are under threat; populations are declining. DNREC’s Delaware Shorebird Project works to mitigate that threat, through research and monitoring, habitat protection, and management planning. The Shorebird Project team has conducted research and monitoring since 1997. They have

---

Availability of Delaware Bay Shellfish Grounds for Leasing

Division of Fish & Wildlife is informing interested parties that shellfish grounds are available for lease, located in the Delaware Bay, south of the East Line and North of the Murderkill River.

---

Delaware Fishing Report

The Delaware Fishing Report offers information on when to fish, where to fish, which species are biting, and how to catch them. It is written weekly by veteran Delaware angler Eric Burnley, Sr. Find information on fishing in Delaware on the DNREC Fisheries Section page and in the Delaware Fishing

---