A Magical Late Afternoon And Evening Hike In The Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge.

I made my first visit to the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Kent County Delaware last weekend. It was a last minute decision that I am glad I made. I have heard of the refuge from a few birder friends but had no plans to visit until I woke up Friday morning. I was finishing a blog on my recent hike along the Schuylkill River. I had just visited Havre de Grace where the Susquehanna River enters the Chesapeake Bay. The thought I should visit the Delaware Bay, where the waters of our local Lehigh and Schuylkill River flow on there journey to the ocean, entered my head. And I thought what better time to do it then today!
So I quickly packed before my morning walk, worked at my office in the morning and, after a business luncheon was on my way to Delaware at 1 p.m. . It was supposed to be a 2 hour 45 minute drive. However I hit a lot of weekend shore traffic and was directed on some scenic country roads on my drive. Even with the shortcuts suggested by my navigation app I still didn’t arrive at the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Kent County Delaware until after 5 p.m.
Just before I entered the refuge I watched this airplane flying over the corn fields and performing some aerial acrobatics.
I did no research about Bombay Hook before my visit. I only knew it was along the Delaware Bay and there were a lot of birds and other wildlife there. I had no idea what trails to hike. The visitor center closed at 4 p.m. so there was no one to help. I saw that there was a motor vehicle road tour route but I decided to walk along the road and began my hike through the fields near the entrance after depositing a 2 dollar hiking fee.
It was late afternoon and very warm with temperatures in the low 80’s so there was no bird activity as a walked past the fields and into a hardwood woodland.
There were late Summer wildflowers blooming int the fields and along the road, mainly native goldenrod and
invasive bull thistle flowers.
About a 1/2 mile on the road I came to the trail to the Shearness Pool Observation Tower. I climbed the tower and took in my first view of the vast salt water marshes and the freshwater pools that make up the 16,000 acre refuge.
To be honest, I had expected to see the waters of the Delaware Bay at the Bombay Hook Refuge. I learned the tour road and observation towers are about three miles from the Delaware Bay. A vast salt water marsh, a few man made fresh water ponds and pools, and a meandering creek separate the bay from the refugee. I also learned that refuge is the one of the largest remaining tidal salt water marshes in the mid- Atlantic Region,
It was late and I was eager to explore more of the refuge so I continued on the tour road. The tour road is one way but I walked in opposite of the motor vehicle route. I walked out of the woodlands and viewed the vast salt marshes to the east.
In a dead tree tops I spotted a bald eagle.
One of our majestic national symbols was perched on a limb,
surveying the vast stretch of marshes and wetlands below. It was a great way to begin my visit.
I followed the tour road along the Shearness Pool, a 600 acre freshwater impoundment pool, created to attract migrating shore and wading birds.
And there were a lot of them here.
In the first pool I came to I saw a few white great egrets,
and their smaller cousins, snowy egrets.
There were also a few graceful muted swans swimming in the pool.
This great blue heron didn’t mind the company of a smaller snowy egret.
Many mallard ducks were also swimming in the waters in the pool along the road.
I hiked along the tour route, now passing many folks in the cars observing the birds on the ponds and in the marshes. On the eastern side of the road were waters form the meandering Duck Creek.
It was now early evening and clouds obscured the sun now low in the western sky.
I was out about 1 1/2 miles and saw a large flock of great egrets swimming and splashing on the ponds,
providing many photos opportunities of these graceful birds,
There were also a few willets,
and northern shoveler ducks swimming on the ponds.
and flocks of great white egrets flew overhead in the fading sunlight.
I had walked out about two miles and decided to hike back as the sun began to set on the western horizon.
It was a magical experience walking along the marshes and wetlands watching and listening to the large flock of birds in the golden light of the setting sun,
creating many beautiful photos ops of the birds frolicking in the water as the sunset in the west. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos of the birds I saw on my hike. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge birds September 13 2024.
There were now over a dozen vehicles parked along the road with folks admiring the sun setting over Shearness Pond.
I watched as the late Summer set below a ridge on the western horizon. It was a magical ending to a magical afternoon and evening.
As I walked back to the parking lot I now noticed the rising waxing gibbous moon in the east.
As the twilight faded and I walked through the woodlands, the haunting calls of both an eastern screech owl,and a great horned owl echoed in the forest. I reflected on the Native Americans who once lived here and the peaceful, simple life they lived.
It was a truly enchanting first visit to the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, one I will not forget. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some more photos from on my hike. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge September 13 2024.
It was a long day and I drove the 10 miles to my hotel the Hilton Garden Inn in Dover.
I checked in to my room. I was hungry but to tired to drive to a restaurant so I had dinner at the hotel and was surprised with a delicious meal, starting with a Caesar salad and then Tuscany salmon as my main course.
I was full but had to try their apple cinnamon donut ice cream for dessert. It was as good as my waiter told me it would be. I retired to my room, editing my photos, before falling asleep looking forward to exploring more of the Bombay National Wildlife Resort in the morning.
“When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator.” – Mahatma Gandhi
The continued existence of wildlife and wilderness is important to the quality of life of humans. – Jim Fowler
Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life
lasts. – Rachel Carson
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