A white-tailed doe. Photo courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service. Firearm deer hunting states in January, and the state is encouraging hunters to target does to help manage the size and quality of Delaware’s deer population, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced Wednesday. Deer hunting is allowed on all Sundays through January 2022, using only those …
Sewage spill halts shellfish harvesting in Rehoboth Bay
Producers will not pull Rehoboth Bay oysters, clams or mussels for eating for 21 days. Photo by Photo by Ben Stern/Unsplash The state on Tuesday issued an emergency closure of commercial and recreational shellfish harvest of oysters, clams and mussels in the Rehoboth Bay after a spill from a residential sewer line in the Long Neck area discharged thousands …
Break in new year with free hike in a Delaware park
Delaware’s State Parks are offering 17 self-guided tours for New Year’s Day. The state once again will host self-guided hikes through state parks on Jan. 1 to celebrate the new year. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control 17 hikes are spread through the state’s parks as part of a national movement sponsored by America’s …
Perdue donation will help build amphitheater in Seaford park
An aerial view of the park’s location in Seaford. A $100,000 donation from Perdue Farms is going to help the Chesapeake Conservancy build an outdoor natural amphitheater at Seaford’s Oyster House Park. That money will allow the Chesapeake Conservancy and the park to solidify the town as a vibrant gateway to the Chesapeake Bay, and continue to drive community revitalization. …
Flood damage causes Alapocas Run walking bridge to close indefinitely
Bancroft Pedestrian Bridge in Alapocas Run State Park will remain closed for an unknown period of time due to structural damage. Photo by DNREC. The Bancroft Bridge in Alapocas Run State Park sustained such extensive damage from flooding as the last of Hurricane Ida that it will be closed until it is substantially repaired or possibly replaced. The Delaware Department …
Predators, storm slow piping plover nest production
Piping plovers had a difficult mating season in Delaware. Photo by Kevin Bronson/DNREC How many baby plovers did piping plovers produce when they were piping on Delaware beaches in 2020? Answer: Not enough, says the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The endangered birds experienced poor nest productivity in 2021 despite record numbers of mating pairs observed …
Delawareans warned to protect themselves from mosquito bites
DNREC is warning state residents to avoid mosquito bites and to empty outdoor vessels that might hold water for mosquito breeding. With West Nile Virus showing up more frequently in sentinel chickens, the state is warning residents to try to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control said that the fall is …
Fort Delaware to get trails, better tram path and screened-in pavilion
DNREC will spend $3.7 million to make Fort Delaware more attractive to visitors. Pea Patch Island’s Fort Delaware has served as a harbor defense facility, wartime prison, state park and living history museum. Later this week, it will become a construction zone. The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is set to begin construction on several projects …
Fin whale that died near Cape Henlopen will be autopsied
Officials say it will be months before they know why a fin whale died near Lewes. A 46-foot fin whale, dubbed Willy by locals, has died after being stranded and then beached near Lewes Thursday. The MERR Institute and Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control responded to reports of the endangered fin whale, or razorback, swimming inside …
46-foot whale stranded during low tide near Lewes
A 46-foot finback whale got caught in low tide near Lewes. Photo by Cape Water Tours and Taxi Lewes gets many different visitors during the summer, but this one may be the largest. A 46-foot fin whale was stranded inside the breakwater near the East End Lighthouse on Thursday morning, due to the low tide. Captain David Green with …