Contact: Dawn Webb, DNREC DuPont Nature Center manager, 302-422-1329  

DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center offers extraordinary
vista into shorebird-horseshoe crab relationship

DOVER (May 19, 2011) – DNREC’s  Division of Fish & Wildlife invites Delawareans and all who visit the state over the next couple of weeks to behold one of nature’s most fascinating phenomena: the relationship between the ancient-as-in-hundreds-of-millions-of-years-old horseshoe crab, and the shorebirds that need the crabs’ help to make their mighty-mite migratory flights spanning South America to the Arctic Circle.

The shorelines of the Delaware Bay surrounding the DuPont Nature Center represent one of the most important horseshoe crab spawning beaches and shorebird feeding areas in the world. Each year, thousands of horseshoe crabs mate and lay millions of eggs on beaches visible from the nature center’s observation deck. The eggs are a critical food source for the migratory shorebirds, including the Red Knot which stops at the Delaware Bay each spring on its 9,000-mile journey from Tierra del Fuego to its summer nesting grounds in the Artic. The shorelines are teaming with horseshoe crabs and the birds are arriving in larger numbers every day.

DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor Reserve, operated by the Division of Fish and Wildlife, is located on a 1.7-acre property at the mouth of the Mispillion River on the Delaware Bay. The Mispillion Lighthouse was located on the property from 1873 until 2002, when the lighthouse was struck by lightning and burned. The property, also the site of the Lighthouse Restaurant, was purchased by the State of Delaware in 2001 with funding from the PSEG Estuary Enhancement Program. DNREC began renovations on the restaurant in  2005, when the DuPont Company joined the initiative and provided funding and technical assistance for the educational exhibits and observation decking. The property overlooks approximately 70 acres of marsh and dunes purchased by DNREC from the Conservation Fund in 2006. The adjacent lands are prime horseshoe spawning and shorebird feeding areas.

The center serves as a science-based educational facility for schools and as a nature tourism destination for families and groups, and was designed to engage people to connect with nature and will educate generations on the ecological significance of this region.

The  distinctive red-roofed center includes an observation deck with telescopes to view the harbor, bay and shoreline and the more than 130 species of fish, shellfish, waterfowl and birds that populate the area. Live tanks within the center allow visitors to see and touch adult horseshoe crabs which are one of the longest-surviving creatures on earth. Visitors can view shorebirds and horseshoe crabs along the shoreline more than 100 yards away, courtesy of a remote Nature Cam and viewing screen.

The center is filled with exhibits devoted to the Delaware Bay’s natural history and ecology.

Bird identification panels are designed to help visitors identify the Red Knot, Ruddy Turnstone or Sanderling – and dozens of other birds found in the harbor area. “Fly the Delaware Bay” is an interactive exhibit sponsored by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary that provides a tour of the estuary from an aerial point of view. Another exhibit details research projects and efforts currently underway to protect crucial feeding areas and nesting habitats for the Red Knot and other shorebirds. Several prominent displays are 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.

An exhibit highlights the history of the town of Slaughter Beach, located  a few miles of the center. It illustrates the active role of townspeople to protect horseshoe crabs and the migrating shorebirds that depend on their eggs for survival. The region’s shipbuilding heritage is also featured, and another exhibit showcases the significance of the Mispillion Lighthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

About DNREC’s DuPont Nature Center
DNREC's DuPont Nature Center at Mispillion Harbor Reserve is located at 2992 Lighthouse Road, Milford. The center is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Low tides present the best shorebird viewing opportunities, whereas the incoming high tide offers the best time to view spawning horseshoe crabs. Visit www.mobilegeographics.com:81/locations/3817.html to view tides before planning your visit. The nature center grounds will remain open each day until sundown. 

On Saturday, May 21, DNREC's DuPont Nature Center has its annual “Peace, Love & Horseshoe Crabs,” a festival celebrating the spring spectacle of migrating shorebirds and spawning horseshoe crabs. The event features children’s games, music, crafts, food and a variety of fun and educational activities. The Center’s expansive deck offers great views of the beautiful Mispillion Harbor, known as the epicenter for shorebird-horseshoe crab interaction. Guides will be on hand to identify birds. The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The celebration then continues from 6 to 10 p.m. at the nearby Slaughter Beach Fire Hall with a fundraiser by the Friends of the DuPont Nature Center featuring a silent auction, live music and food.

For more information contact Dawn Webb, DNREC DuPont Center Manager, at 302-422-1329 or visit the website, www.dupontnaturecenter.org

Vol. 41, No. 195