Delmarva Peninsula trip

Just came back from leading an Audubon trip to the Delmarva Peninsula from 5/31 – 6/2/19.  In addition to the rare birds and other great birds, herps, and leps we had, we also saw several mammals.  We went to Bombay Hook, Chincoteague, and Blackwater NWRs, Elliot Island area, and saw things in between too.  Not a whole lot at Bombay Hook in Smyrna, Delaware, mammal wise though there were a few Common Muskrat houses.  On the way to Chincoteague in Chincoteague, Virginia, we had a few White-tailed Deer and Woodchucks along the roadsides.  At the refuge four Delmarva Fox Squirrels were seen which gave great views.  They are definitely doing well there.  Also seen here were a Common Muskrat, two Sika (one very close buck), some Eastern Cottontails, and several Wild Ponies.  The last place visited was Blackwater in Cambridge, Maryland.  This was the area where we hit pay dirt with the mammals.  Surprisingly we had only Eastern Cottontails here though in the past I’ve had Nutria and Delmarva Fox Squirrels as well as the rabbits.  But on our night drive from Cambridge past Blackwater to Elliot Island southeast of there we had three Eastern Red Foxes, three Virginia Opossums, 15+ Sika, two Northern Raccoons, and after dinner we smelled a Striped Skunk and saw a few large bats.  On the last day we checked out a WMA on Egypt Road on the way to the refuge and I had two or three Nutrias and a Northern Raccoon.  Not a lot of rare stuff except for the squirrels, but the numbers were very good and I have never had so many mammals here in all the times I’ve come here and done night drives.  A great time was had by all.

Andrew