News from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.
April 30, 2009 - Vol. 39, No. 197
For more information contact Dawn Webb, Manager, DNREC’s Dupont Nature Center, 302-422-1329; or Melanie Rapp, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.
Horseshoe Crabs and Migrating Shorebirds to Descend on Delaware Bay Shores
Each May and June an amazing display of nature unfolds on the shores of the Delaware Bay. Hundreds of thousands of shorebirds converge on this ecologically significant region to feast on the eggs of the horseshoe crab.
DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor Reserve, 2992 Lighthouse Road in Slaughter Beach, is the perfect location to view the horseshoe crab-shorebird phenomenon. Operated by the Division of Fish and Wildlife, the center is currently open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday and closed Monday. The nature center grounds and observation deck are open every day, from sunrise to sunset.
“The Delaware Bay hosts the world’s largest spawning concentration of horseshoe crabs,” said Dawn Webb, center manager. “Each May and June, crabs spawn and lay eggs around the new and full moons that’s timed perfectly to coincide with the arrival of migrating shorebirds.”
As many as 30 species of shorebirds may visit the Delaware Bay between May 1 and June 10. The bay is a major stop for shorebirds, like the Red Knot, Ruddy Turnstone, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Dunlin, traveling from their wintering grounds in South America to the breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic. The Red Knot may fly up to 5,000 miles non-stop and arrive weary and low in weight. The shorebirds come to rest and gorge themselves on the fat and protein-packed horseshoe crab eggs, so they can continue their journeys northward.
The DuPont Nature Center is an important component of DNREC’s commitment to conserve and protect migratory shorebirds. Overlooking Mispillion Harbor, the center’s location provides visitors with an ideal place to witness the horseshoe crab-shorebird phenomenon in a way that does not disturb the birds that are feeding or roosting there. Further work is being done to limit disturbances to this important area by establishing no-wake zones and restricting access to the beaches during shorebird migration.
The distinctive red-roofed center includes an observation deck with telescopes to view the harbor, bay and shoreline and the shorebirds, horseshoe crabs and animals that inhabit the area. Large outdoor tanks hold live, adult horseshoe crabs allowing visitors to see and touch one of the longest-surviving creatures on earth. Inside the center, visitors can view shorebirds and horseshoe crabs along the shoreline more than 100 yards away, courtesy of a remote camera and a 42-inch plasma viewing screen. An indoor tank containing juvenile horseshoe crabs is on display inside the center.
Also, inside the center exhibits are devoted to Delaware Bay’s natural history and ecology. Bird identification panels help bird-watchers spot any of the more than 30 species of shorebirds that visit the bay each spring. “Fly the Delaware Bay” is an interactive exhibit sponsored by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary that provides visitors with a tour of the estuary from a shorebird’s point of view.
Other exhibits describe research projects and efforts underway to protect crucial feeding areas and nesting habitats for the Red Knot and other shorebirds. A prominent display is dedicated to the horseshoe crab – its anatomy, biomedical uses and importance to the local fishermen.
An internet access station is available as an additional resource for educational information. Another exhibit features the history of the town of Slaughter Beach and the active role of townspeople to protect horseshoe crabs and the migrating shorebirds that depend on their eggs for survival.
For more information visit http://www.dupontnaturecenter.org