Field Trip Schedule

Field trip sign-up is now open!

Sign up for the convention field trips here until November 15, 2024.

Thank you to our friends at the Delaware Ornithological Society and the Sussex Bird Club for helping us plan field trips and recruit field trip leaders!

For 2024 field trip descriptions, please click here.

For 2024 field trip leader bios, please click here.

MOS has field trips on Friday afternoon, Friday evening, Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, all day Saturday, Saturday evening, Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon.

Most field trip leaders will meet participants in the designated levels of the parking garage at the Grand Hotel, where they will depart as a group and caravan to the field trip site. Field trips will depart at 15-minute intervals. Only two field trips will depart at the same time due to limitations in the parking garage.

Some field trip leaders will meet their group at the site. For these trips, an address and/or GPS coordinates are provided on the schedule below (scroll down).

All Friday afternoon, Saturday all-day and Saturday afternoon field trips will return by 4:00 pm for the wine & cheese socials. All Saturday and Sunday morning trips will return by 11:30 am for lunch. Depending on the meal plan selected, a boxed lunch will be provided for all-day field trips.

Please review these field trip suggestions:

• Carpooling is expected and expedient. Please help out drivers with a contribution towards the cost of gas.
• Some venues have a nominal entrance fee per vehicle. Please be prepared to contribute to this cost. Information about entrance fees and accepted annual passes are included in the field trip descriptions below.
• Be sure to have appropriate field gear: sturdy, waterproof boots and jacket, sunscreen, insect repellent and a good supply of water. 
• Please do not wander off the road except on public lands. Most private land is posted, but also do not enter the woods where trees are marked with blue paint blazes along public roads.
• Some field trips will be accessible to participants using mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers and rollators. This has been noted below, and on the Field Trips page. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

You can view this Google Map of 2024 field trip sites (please note that some field trip sites may change before field trip sign-ups open):

This is the Field Trip Schedule for the 2024 Convention.

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Friday, Nov. 22 AFTERNOON FIELD TRIPS (12:30 pm – 4:00 pm)

Friday afternoon field trips include:

Departing at 12:30 pm

• Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge with Chris Bennett and Anthony Gonzon. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: One hour and 15 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Chris and Anthony will meet you in the parking lot of the Prime Hook NWR Visitor Center, located at 11978 Turkle Pond Rd, Milton, DE 19968. GPS coordinates: 38.830286, -75.248341.

• Cape Henlopen State Park with Joe Francis and Ian Stewart. Cost: Access is granted with a Delaware State Parks Annual Pass, or with a day-use fee of $5/vehicle with DE tags or $10/vehicle with out-of-state tags. For more information, please click here. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: One hour and 10 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Cape Henlopen State Park is located at 15099 Cape Henlopen Drive, Lewes, DE 19958. Joe and Ian will meet you in the parking lot of the Cape Henlopen Hawk Watch, located inside the park at 37256 Post Road, Lewes, DE 19958. GPS coordinates for the Hawk Watch parking area: 38.788083, -75.089169.

Departing at 12:45 pm

• E.A. Vaughn Wildlife Management Area North with Russ Kovach. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 45 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Russ will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

• Figgs Landing, Scott’s Landing and Truitt’s Landing with Jeff Effinger. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 45 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Jeff will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

Departing at 1:00 pm

• Beginner Bird Walk at the Grand Hotel with Mary Lou Clark & Karlyn McPartland. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: this trip involves no driving. Departing from: the Grand Ballroom in Grand Hotel. Meeting Location: Mary Lou & Karlyn will meet you in the Grand Ballroom.

The Beginner Bird Walk at the Grand Hotel will be accessible to participants using mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers and rollators. All strolling will occur on firm, level surfaces with ramps. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

• Beginner Trip to North OC and Coastal DE with Wayne Bell. Cost: Some stops require no entry fee. Access to sites located in Delaware State Parks is granted with a day-use fee of $5/vehicle with DE tags or $10/vehicle with out-of-state tags, or with an Annual Pass. For more information, please click here. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: this field trip involves driving to multiple sites throughout the afternoon. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Wayne will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

• Sinepuxent Bay Boat Trip aboard the OC Bay Hopper with Kurt Schwarz. Cost: $35/person. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 15 minutes; boat departs at 1:30 pm. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: The boat does not have a head/toilet. Please use the restroom prior to departing the hotel. Kurt will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

The Sinepuxent Bay Boat Trip will be accessible to participants using mobility aids such as walkers and rollators. Assistance will be provided when boarding and disembarking the boat. There is no boarding ramp, so you will need to step into the boat with assistance. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

Departing at 1:15 pm

• Assateague Island National Seashore with Jim Green. Cost: A 7-day per vehicle pass costs $25.00; this also covers entrance into Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Annual passes and America the Beautiful passes are accepted. For more information about entrance fees, please click here. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 30 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Jim will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

• Ocean City Inlet and Sunset Park with Sarah Kulis & Jim Rapp. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 10 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Sarah & Jim will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

The Ocean City Inlet and Sunset Park field trip will be accessible to participants using mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers and rollators. We will not be strolling on the sand and jetty rocks. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

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Saturday, Nov. 23 ALL-DAY FIELD TRIPS (5:45 am – 4:00 pm)
Sunrise is 6:51 am

Saturday all-day field trips include:

• Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
• Somerset County: Irish Grove MOS Sanctuary & Deal Island Wildlife Management Area

Departing at 5:45 am

• Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge with Russ Kovach. Cost: Access is granted with a Daily Pass ($10/vehicle), a Chincoteague NWR Annual Pass ($45) or a Federal Duck Stamp ($25). Click here for more information about Chincoteague entrance fees. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: One hour and 20 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Russ will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

• Somerset County: Irish Grove MOS Sanctuary & Deal Island Wildlife Management Area with Steve Sheffield. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: One hour and 15 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Steve will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

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Saturday, Nov. 23 MORNING FIELD TRIPS (6:00 am – 11:30 am)
Sunrise is 6:51 am

Saturday morning field trips include:

Departing at 6:00 am

• Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge with Joe Francis. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: One hour and 15 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Joe will meet you in the parking lot of the Prime Hook NWR Visitor Center, located at 11978 Turkle Pond Rd, Milton, DE 19968. GPS coordinates: 38.830286, -75.248341.

• Cape Henlopen State Park with Chris Bennett and Anthony Gonzon. Cost: Access is granted with a Delaware State Parks Annual Pass, or with a day-use fee of $5/vehicle with DE tags or $10/vehicle with out-of-state tags. For more information, please click here. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: One hour and 15 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Cape Henlopen State Park is located at 15099 Cape Henlopen Drive, Lewes, DE 19958. Chris and Anthony will meet you in the parking lot of the Seaside Nature Center. GPS coordinates for the Seaside Nature Center: 38.783924, -75.098028.

Departing at 6:15 am

• E.A. Vaughn Wildlife Management Area Central with Jeff Effinger. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: One hour. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Jeff will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

• Assateague Island National Seashore with Kevin Graff & Jo Cox. Cost: A 7-day per vehicle pass costs $25.00; this also covers entrance into Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Annual passes and America the Beautiful passes are accepted. For more information about entrance fees, please click here. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 30 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Kevin and Jo will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

Departing at 6:30 am

• Ocean City Inlet and Sunset Park with Marcia Watson & Gene Scarpulla. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 10 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Marcia & Gene will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

The Ocean City Inlet and Sunset Park field trip will be mostly accessible to participants using mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers and rollators. There may be some strolling on the sand and jetty rocks. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

• West Ocean City to Berlin: Hooper’s, Elliott’s Pond & Heron Park with Wayne Bell. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 10 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Wayne will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

Departing at 7:30 am

• Assateague Island Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) with Bill Hulslander & Kurt Schwarz. Cost: Free, as the federal entrance fee is waived since participants will be in National Park Service vehicles. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 20 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Kurt will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage. Bill will meet the group at the Assateague Island Visitor Center.

Departing at 8:00 am

• Sinepuxent Bay Boat Trip aboard the OC Bay Hopper with Kim Abplanalp. Cost: $35/person. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 15 minutes; boat departs at 8:30 am. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: The boat does not have a head/toilet. Please use the restroom prior to departing the hotel. Kim will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

The Sinepuxent Bay Boat Trip will be accessible to participants using mobility aids such as walkers and rollators. Assistance will be provided when boarding and disembarking the boat. There is no boarding ramp, so you will need to step into the boat with assistance. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

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Saturday, Nov. 23 AFTERNOON FIELD TRIPS & SEMINAR (12:30 pm – 4:00 pm)

Saturday afternoon field trips and seminar include:

Departing Grand Hotel at 11:00 am; Boat departs at 12:30 pm in Lewes, DE

• Delaware Bay/Cape Henlopen Boat Trip with Chris Bennett, Anthony Gonzon, Nancy Cunningham and Stephen Davies. Cost: $50/person. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: One hour; boat departs promptly at 12:30 pm and returns to the dock at 3:00 pm. Participants should arrive before 12:00 pm to find parking and line up to board the boat. Departing from: This trip will not depart from the parking garage at the Grand Hotel. If you plan to depart from the hotel on your own, you should leave no later than 11:00 am. If you are planning to sign up for a Saturday morning field trip, you may want to select a nearby field trip in Delaware, such as Cape Henlopen State Park or Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge. You may also want to purchase the 6-meal plan from the Grand Hotel and pick up a box lunch on Saturday morning before leaving the hotel, or make plans to grab a quick lunch after your morning field trip. Meeting Location: Parking is available in the lot of The Wheelhouse restaurant at Fisherman’s Wharf, located at 7 Anglers Rd, Lewes, DE 19958. GPS coordinates for the parking lot: 38.776702, -75.137352. Chris, Anthony and Stephen will meet you at the dock behind the restaurant. They will check you in before boarding the boat.

The Delaware Bay/Cape Henlopen Boat Trip will be accessible to participants using mobility aids such as walkers and rollators. Assistance will be provided when boarding and disembarking the boat. There is a narrow ramp for accessing the boat. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

Departing at 12:30 pm

• Pemberton Historical Park with Ellen Lawler. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 50 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Ellen will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

• Schumaker Pond & Salisbury City Park with Mary Huebner and Jen Barnes. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 45 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Mary and Jen will meet you in the parking lot at Schumaker Park, located at 1019 South Schumaker Drive, Salisbury, MD 21804. GPS coordinates for the parking area: 38.348391, -75.567005.

Departing at 12:45 pm

• West Ocean City to Berlin: Hooper’s, Elliott’s Pond & Heron Park with Peter Hanan. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 10 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Peter will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

Departing at 1:00 pm

• Sinepuxent Bay Boat Trip aboard the OC Bay Hopper with Jeff Effinger. Cost: $35/person. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 15 minutes; boat departs at 1:30 pm. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: The boat does not have a head/toilet. Please use the restroom prior to departing the hotel. Jeff will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

The Sinepuxent Bay Boat Trip will be accessible to participants using mobility aids such as walkers and rollators. Assistance will be provided when boarding and disembarking the boat. There is no boarding ramp, so you will need to step into the boat with assistance. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

• Ocean City Inlet and Sunset Park with Jim Rapp. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 10 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Jim will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

The Ocean City Inlet and Sunset Park field trip will be accessible to participants using mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers and rollators. We will not be strolling on the sand and jetty rocks. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

1:00 pm Seminar

• Best Practices in Leading Field Trips with Mark England and Cheryl Hogue. Meeting Location: Grand Ballroom II in the Grand Hotel.

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Sunday, Nov. 24 MORNING FIELD TRIPS (5:45 am – 11:30 am)
Sunrise is 6:52 am

Sunday morning field trips include:

Departing at 6:00 am

• Cape Henlopen State Park with Andy Ednie and Greg Gough. Cost: Access is granted with a Delaware State Parks Annual Pass, or with a day-use fee of $5/vehicle with DE tags or $10/vehicle with out-of-state tags. For more information, please click here. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: One hour and 15 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Cape Henlopen State Park is located at 15099 Cape Henlopen Drive, Lewes, DE 19958. Andy and Greg will meet you in the parking lot of the Seaside Nature Center. GPS coordinates for the Seaside Nature Center: 38.783924, -75.098028.

• Figgs Landing, Scott’s Landing and Truitt’s Landing with Stephen Davies. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 45 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Stephen will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

Departing at 6:15 am

• Assateague Island National Seashore with Kevin Graff & Jeff Effinger. Cost: A 7-day per vehicle pass costs $25.00; this also covers entrance into Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Annual passes and America the Beautiful passes are accepted. For more information about entrance fees, please click here. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 30 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Kevin and Jeff will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

• Indian River Inlet & Burton Island with Chris Bennett and Anthony Gonzon. Cost: Access is granted with a Delaware State Parks Annual Pass, or with a day-use fee of $5/vehicle with DE tags or $10/vehicle with out-of-state tags. For more information, please click here. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 35 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: The field trip will begin at the south jetty of the Indian River Inlet, which is located in Delaware Seashore State Park. Park near the Big Chill Beach Club, located at 27099 Coastal Hwy, Bethany Beach, DE 19930. Chris and Anthony will meet you in the parking lot. GPS coordinates for the parking area: 38.606911, -75.062090.

Departing at 6:30 am

• South Point & Bayside Ponds with Kurt Schwarz. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 25 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Kurt will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

• Heron Park & the Bay Club with Jared Parks. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 20 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: The field trip will begin at Heron Park, which is located at 10009 Old Ocean City Blvd, Berlin, MD 21811. The park entrance is located directly across the street from the Burley Oak Brewing Company. Jared will meet you in the parking lot. GPS coordinates for the parking area: 38.335728, -75.217513.

Departing at 6:45 am

• West Ocean City to Berlin: Hooper’s, Elliott’s Pond & Heron Park with Steve Sheffield. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 10 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Steve will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

• Ocean City Inlet and Sunset Park with Kim Abplanalp & Wayne Klockner. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 10 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Kim & Wayne will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

The Ocean City Inlet and Sunset Park field trip will be mostly accessible to participants using mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers and rollators. There may be some strolling on the sand and jetty rocks. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

Departing at 7:00 am

• Beginner Stroll at Assateague Island National Seashore with Sarah Kulis and Jim Rapp. Cost: A 7-day per vehicle pass costs $25.00; this also covers entrance into Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Annual passes and America the Beautiful passes are accepted. For more information about entrance fees, please click here. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 30 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Sarah and Jim will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

The Beginner Stroll at Assateague Island National Seashore field trip will be accessible to participants using mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers and rollators. We will explore the Life of the Forest trail and the Life of the Marsh trail, which have boardwalks, ramps and benches. We may also stroll on boardwalks that cross the dunes and provide views of the beach and ocean. We will not be strolling on the sand or in the marsh. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

Departing at 8:00 am

• Sinepuxent Bay Boat Trip aboard the OC Bay Hopper with Russ Kovach. Cost: $35/person. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: 15 minutes; boat departs at 8:30 am. Departing from: Grand Hotel parking garage; Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: The boat does not have a head/toilet. Please use the restroom prior to departing the hotel. Russ will meet you in the Grand Hotel parking garage.

The Sinepuxent Bay Boat Trip will be accessible to participants using mobility aids such as walkers and rollators. Assistance will be provided when boarding and disembarking the boat. There is no boarding ramp, so you will need to step into the boat with assistance. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

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Sunday, Nov. 24 AFTERNOON “ON THE WAY HOME” FIELD TRIPS (1:15 pm – 5:00 pm)

• Cambridge Waterfront – Great Marsh Park and Oakley Street
• Pickering Creek Audubon Center

Departing at 1:15 pm

• Cambridge Waterfront – Great Marsh Park and Oakley Street with Jim Green. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: One hour and 20 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel. Since participants are going home after this field trip, there will be no carpooling. Meeting Location: The field trip will meet at Gerry Boyle Park at Great Marsh, situated on a point of land that juts out into the Choptank River at the end of Somerset Avenue in Cambridge, MD. Jim will meet you in the parking lot near the boat ramp. GPS coordinates for the parking area: 38.584877, -76.078413.

The Cambridge Waterfront field trip will be mostly accessible to participants using mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers and rollators. There may be some strolling in areas with sand, mud and rocks. If you have questions, please contact Field Trip Coordinator Jim Rapp at jmrpp2@gmail.com.

• Pickering Creek Audubon Center with Mark Scallion. Cost: Free. Driving time from the Grand Hotel: One hour and 45 minutes. Departing from: Grand Hotel. Since participants are going home after this field trip, there will be no carpooling. Meeting Location: The field trip will meet at the Pickering Creek Audubon Center, 11450 Audubon Lane, Easton, MD 21601. Mark will meet you in the parking lot. GPS coordinates for the parking area: 38.859973, -76.123767

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