Slaughter Beach in Sussex County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Birds
of the Marvel Saltmarsh Preserve
Abbot's Mill Nature Center
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones, September 15, 2023
1. Birds Marker
Osprey
In 2015, Abbott's Mill staff and Slaughter Beach community members erected the first Osprey platform and a pair now nest here every summer. A second platform was erected on the northern end of the Preserve in 2019.
Osprey Facts:
Arrive in March/April
Eat fish almost exclusively
Mate for life
Return to same nest yearly
Raise 1-3 young each year
Migrate south in Sep/Oct
Did You Know? The Delaware Bayshore is globally-recognized as an "Important Bird area." More than 100 species of birds occur here throughout the year.
In Summer, look and listen for nesting Willets as they fly about calling "Pill - Will - Willett."
In Winter, scan for northern harriers and short-eared owls gliding low over the marsh at dusk and dawn.
Red-winged Blackbirds are here year-round. Look for the males perched high in the marsh displaying their red "epaulets."
Each May, Delaware Bay marshes and beaches serve as a critical stopover for many species of shorebirds and other waterbirds, including Red Knots, Ruddy Turnstones and Laughing Gulls.
Erected by Abbott's Mill Nature Center.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals
this page online
Location. 38° 55.517′ N, 75° 18.872′ W. Marker is in Slaughter Beach, Delaware, in Sussex County. Marker can be reached from Bay Avenue (County Road 204) north of Marvel Drive, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 547 Bay Ave, Milford DE 19963, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Memorial Vol. Fire Co. (approx. one mile away); The Atlantic Horseshoe Crab (approx. one mile away); Fort Saulsbury (approx. 1.4 miles away); Slaughter Neck United Methodist Church (approx. 4.1 miles away); Absalom Jones (approx. 4.9 miles away); Observation Tower at Big Stone Beach (approx. 5.3 miles away); American Holly (approx. 5.7 miles away); History of Goat Island / Milford Contributes to the War Effort (approx. 5.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Slaughter Beach.
Additional commentary.
1. About the marker
While this interpretive sign features mainly biological information about nearby wildlife, it also serves as a historical marker because it shares a narrative about how the community has
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones, September 15, 2023
2. Birds Marker
— Submitted September 17, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 17, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 17, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 66 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 17, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
