NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL EXCURSIONS

Capture the experience of a lifetime during excursions with the
Delaware Nature Society!


  • Customized itineraries
  • Expert naturalists and leaders
  • Small groups
  • leisurely pace

    For over 30 years, the Delaware Nature Society has offered trips throughout the world. Our staff leaders coordinate with topnotch travel agencies and the country's/region's best naturalists to present experiences that cannot be matched by any other group. We invite you to review the information about ourÊ listings and contact Registar Melissa McDerby at 302-239-2334, ext. 134 or Email for detailed itineraries or other information.

    Note: Most of our trips depart from Philadelphia, PA (air) or Hockessin, DE (van). If you would like to meet us at the destination, we will modify your costs. Please add a note to your itinerary request.

    2008 Trips

  • Niagara Falls
    Max 8
    Trip #: W08-821-AS
    Travel Dates: January 31 Ð February 3
    Times: Meet at Ashland at 6:00 a.m. on the 31st, return around 6:00 p.m. on the 3rd
    Member/Non-Member: $600/$650
    Leader: Forrest Rowland, Professional Bird Tour Leader

    Calling all birders! Come and witness an astonishing gathering of gulls. Niagra Falls is a crucial winter feeding area for Gulls where you will see at least 7 species or more in one day! Search out as many gulls as possible, but keep an eye out for Winter finches. Red Crossbills, White-winged Crossbills, and Pine Grosbeaks may make an appearance in the area! Trip includes van transportation, lodging, entry fees, and meals.

  • Birds of the Capes Overnight
    Max: 8
    Trip #: W08-822-AS
    Travel dates: February 23 - 24
    Times: 7:30 am Sat to 5:00 pm Sun
    Member/Non-Member: $225/$275
    Leader: Forrest Rowland, Professional Bird Tour Leader

    Every fall, hundreds of thousands of Sea Ducks, Loons, Alcids, Jaegers, Gulls, and Cormorants fly South, for warmer waters, past Cape May. Get a sampling of this spectacle, as these birds move back North, towards their breeding grounds. Starting in Cape Henlopen, scan the waters for some of these migrants and wintering Seabirds as they exit the Bay. Take the Cape May-Lewes Ferry and spend the afternoon birding the Cape May peninsula. Participate in a Seawatch at Cape May Point State Park, Cape May Lighthouse, to witness thousands of birds as they head out to sea.

  • West Virginia Cross Country Ski Trip
    Travel Dates: Feb 28 - Mar 2, 2008
    Ê Member Price: $385      Non-member Price: $440
    Registration Deadline: January 19, 2008
    Trip #: W08-817-AS
    Led by David Toman

    Nestled in the 900,000 acre Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia's Canaan Valley provides the ideal Nordic ski base with over 100 km of trails and 150 inch average annual snowfall that is great for novice and experienced cross country skiers alike. Experience a unique habitat created during the ice age with plant and animal life associated with climates much further north including snowshoe hare, grouse, mature spruce and hemlock trees. White Grass Ski Touring Center will provide lessons, rental equipment and guided excursions.

    Ski into the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area or Ski to Bald Knob for a breath taking view at 4,300 ft. Snowshoeing is also available to explore the snow covered mountainside. After satisfying days of fresh air and skiing, relax with wine and cheese by the fireplace in our Canaan Valley State Park cabin. Stargaze at a brilliant night sky. Fee includes double- occupancy lodging; all area fees and local naturalist/guide; van transportation from Ashland Nature Center; three breakfasts and lunches. Dinners are Dutch treat at nearby restaurants. Cross-country ski equipment rentals are $12/day additional; and ski lessons are $10/ day additional.

  • The Natural Wonders of Panama: Featuring the Canopy Tower
    Travel Dates: March 11-19, 2008
    Member Price: $3,600      Non-member Price: $3,700
    Registration Deadline: December 10, 2007
    Trip #: W08-819-AS
    Hosted by Jim White

    Join Jim White, Delaware Nature Society's Associate Director of Land and Biodiversity Management, on a trip to one of Central America's best kept biological secrets: the incredibly diverse tropical forests of Panama.

    On this special Panama nature tour we will stay at the Canopy Tower, www.canopytower.com, where your bedroom is at treetop level, no more than 40 feet from the rainforests' canopy. Here we could see such incredible birds as the Black-chested Jay, Blue Cotinga, and Green Shrike-Vireo, as we feast our eyes on innumerable trogons, puffbirds, aracari, toucans, parrots, manakins, motmots, and tanagers. In the cool Panamanian dawn you can feel Panama's great rainforest awakening around you. Birds normally glimpsed high in the tops of trees perch right outside your room and the chorus of Howler Monkeys serves as your wake up call! From Canopy Tower we will take trips throughout the Canal Zone to the famous natural areas of Achiote Road, Pipeline Road, Summit Gardens. An afternoon transit on the historic Panama Canal Railway will allow us to experience this engineering wonder close at hand. In addition, walk through the Panama City Metropolitan Park in search of the Red-naped Tamarin, a small but spectacular monkey.

    And then on to the Canopy Lodge, sister facility of the Canopy Tower, a charming small hotel built next to a lovely mountain stream and adjacent to the protected area of Cerro Gaital Natural Monument. In the gardens surrounding the lodge we can easily see species like the Crimson-backed and Dusky-faced Tanagers, Barred Antshrike, Rufous-tailed and Violet-headed Hummingbirds and Clay-colored Robin and a wide variety of other kinds of tropical species.

    Additional trips into the surrounding area will bring us a wealth of additional species such as the majestic White Hawk, the tiny Tody Motmot, the melodious Striped Cuckoo, and the elegant Sunbittern, as well as many colorful tanagers and honeycreepers. Return from this trip having experienced the feel, beauty, and biodiversity of the tropical rainforest.

  • Crane Migration on the Platte River: Chickens on the Prairies
    Travel Dates: March 25 - 29, 2008
    Member Price: $860      Non-member Price: $915
    Deposit: Deposit of $300 is due by December 21, 2007
    Trip #: S08-802-AS
    Hosted by Joe Sebastiani

    Nebraska in late March is the battleground between spring and winter. With these first winds of spring arrive hundreds of thousands of Sandhill Crane. Riverside farmland is transformed into crane feeding and dancing grounds, and the Platte itself becomes their night-time roost. This annual staging of half-a-million cranes along the Platte River is one of North America's greatest wildlife spectacles. Blinds will be used along the river to closely view cranes leaving their roost in the morning and coming back in the evening.

    Visit the Rainwater Basin to witness waterfowl migration and look for flocks of migratory White Pelicans. This large area of south-central Nebraska farmland and prairie hosts impressive flocks of Snow Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Canada Goose, and rarities such as Ross's Goose. The group will also visit a Prairie Dog town.

    In addition to experiencing the Cranes, we will spend two nights at a ranch in the Nebraska Sandhills region to see Greater Prairie Chicken and Sharp-tailed Grouse on their display grounds at very close range. We will spend the early morning hours watching these species strut, boom, display, and jostle on their traditional leks, where males display in groups. Seeing this phenomenon at close range will be a cherished highlight of the trip and will allow good opportunities for photographs. Enjoy the beauty of the rolling hills and vast grasslands of the Sandhills region while we look for waterfowl, Burrowing Owls, Prairie Dogs. Take a leisurely walk through the trails and paths of the ranch to appreciate the natural beauty of cattle-country.

    Included in the trip are visits to the Museum of Nebraska Art and the Great Platte River Road Museum. Lodging will be at the Calamus Ranch Lodge for two nights and a motel in Kearney for two nights. Meals at the Lodge, lodging, ground transportation, and guide services are included. Breakfast is included in Kearney, but lunch and dinners are dutch-treat for that part of the trip. This trip does not include airfare. The trip will start in the Lincoln, NE airport on Tuesday, March 25.

  • Smoky Mountain Wildflowers and Ecosystems
    Travel Dates: April 22- 26, 2008
    Travel Times:
       Depart April 22 at 5:30 am
       Return April 26 about 6:00 pm
    Member Price: $650      Non-member Price: $750
    Deposit: $125 due by March 1
    Trip #: S08-803-AS
    Led by Joe Sebastiani and Dave Pro

    Each year spring crowns the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee with a dazzling display of over 1,400 wildflower species including five species of trillium, stands of dwarf crested iris, beautiful showy orchis, carpets of foamflower, fringed and purple phacelia, and many, many others.

    Examine the beauty of a bishop's cap flower with a magnifying glass, see blooming umbrella leaf in a mountain seep, and peer through binoculars at blooming silverbell flowers high in the canopy. Identify many endemic species including Fraser magnolia in bloom, Fraser fir at high elevation, and the strange Fraser's sedge in a diverse and wonderful cove forest. The Great Smoky Mountains is the salamander capital of the world. Find over a dozen species including Jordan's Salamander, a large black species with a red check patch, whose range is restricted to the park.

    One of the richest natural areas in the North American continent, this World Biosphere Preserve is a paradise for botanists and a photographer's dream. Hike along tumbling waterfalls, learn about pioneer life, and experience the hush of a virgin forest. A variety of slow-paced walks focus on wildflowers, birds, amphibians, old-growth forest, photography and mountain culture. Enjoy exploring little known sites selected for their beauty and diversity by experienced trip leaders. At night, relax in the hot tub with a glass of wine, review sightings of the day, join a salamander hunt or stroll the resort town of Gatlinburg. Lodging is in a large, luxurious mountain chalet with fireplace, hot tub, double- occupancy bedrooms, balconies overlooking the mountains, fully equipped kitchen and dining room.

    Daily walking totals range from 3 to 8 miles. Travel to Gatlinburg is 12 hours by provided van from Ashland Nature Center and our hearty meals are prepared by the group. A pre-trip meeting will be held to discuss particulars of the trip and introduce you to the expected wildflowers and ecology of the area. Fee includes van transportation, lodging, fees, meals, and leadership. Deposit is is non-refundable after this date unless a replacement is found. Full payment due by March 31.

  • Crane Creek Migration Spectacle
    Max: 8
    Trip #: S08-823-AS
    Travel dates: May 1 - May 4
    Times: Meet at Ashland on Thursday at 6:00 am; return to Ashland at 6:00 p.m. Sunday
    Member/Non-Member: $575/$625
    Leader: Forrest Rowland, Professional Bird Tour Leader

    Witness the annual migration of neo-tropical migrant birds at Crane Creek State Park and the Magee Marsh located along the shores of Lake Erie. Crane Creek is managed by a series of raised levees and dikes that provide perfect eye-level views of the treetops and birds! Set your eyes on over 25 species of warblers as well as vireos, thrushes, and others as they wait to cross the open waters of Lake Erie. Keep your eyes open for Henslow's Sparrow. Fee includes transportation, meals, lodging, and entry fees.

  • Fallingwater and the Laurel Highlands
    Max: 10
    Trip #: S08-813-AS
    Travel Dates: May 20 - May 22
    Times: Depart Ashland Nature Center at 8:00 am, May 20th Return approximately 6:00 p.m., May 22nd.
    Member/Non-Member: $380/$430
    Leaders: Joe Sebastiani, Members Program Team Leader and John Harrod, Backyard Habitat Coordinator

    Explore the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, a region full of natural beauty. Tour two Frank Lloyd Wright houses, Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, both exhibiting unique architectural design. Take part in bird banding at the Powdermill Nature Reserve. Visit Ohiopyle State Park and feel the power of the spectacular falls along the Youghiogheny River. Explore the unique Spruce Flats bog, located near Laurel Summit State Park. Fee includes van transportation from Ashland, leadership, entrance fees, lodging, breakfast and lunch. Lodging is at a Laurel Highlands motel and is based on double-occupancy.

    LOOKING AHEAD . . .

  • Texas and Mexico: Brushland to Cloud Forest
    Date: November 2008
    Leader: Jeffrey Gordon, Professional Bird Tour Leader

    Join us for an amazing transect of wildlife, habitat and culture in the Texas and Mexico borderlands. Experience the ecological diversity as the Chihuahaun Desert meets the Gulf of Mexico and the Southern Great Plains give way to the true tropics. Explore places like Padre Island National Seashore, Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, and cross the Tropic of Cancer and head for the eastern flank of the Sierra Madre Oriental to the world's northernmost patch of cloud forest, now protected as part of the El Cielo Biosphere Reserve. We'll observe the explosion of gaudy tropical butterflies and blooming wildflowers, while catching a glimpse of birds not found in the United States like the Blue-crowned Mot-mot and Thicket Tinamou! Call (302) 239-2334 ext. 134 for more information.

  • Denali National Park, Alaska
    Date: September 2009
    Leader: David Toman, Associate Director, Business and Finance

    Experience Alaska at its best while staying at Camp Denali and admiring the view of Mt. McKinley only 29 air miles away! Camp Denali is located in the heart of Denali National Park and has fostered active learning and appreciation of the Far North since 1952. Explore the Alaska landscape through the daily guided outings, searching for wolves, moose, caribou, nesting birds and wildflowers. Canoeing, fishing, biking and evening programs compliment the days. Then sit back and enjoy the scenic Alaska Railroad trip to Anchorage! Call (302) 239-2334 ext. 134 for more information.

    © 2005 Delaware Nature Society