UNSUNG HOTSPOTS: Caroline County

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Last May my son called and asked me if I wanted to go fishing with him
at a great new location he'd been told about in Caroline County. 
Intrigued by the idea of my son taking ME fishing, I agreed to the
trip and was treated to what I believe is one of the best and perhaps
least-known birding hotspots in that part of the Eastern Shore.

This site is now owned by the State of Maryland and is ostensibly part
of the Idylwild WMA, not too far from, but definitely separate from
the nearby Smithville Community Lake.  During three hours of excellent
fishing on that mid-May morning I was also able to tally just over 70
species of birds, giving me a big leg up indeed on my Caroline County
list.  The location is an old quarry, heavily wooded with evergreen
stands and dotted here and there with ponds, the filled-in remains of
the former quarry.  The ponds range from shallow, marshy areas to
very-deep-indeed holes, one of which is rumored to contain a huge
steam-shovel, now entirely submerged.

I mentioned the area some time later to several folks I know who work
for the DNR.  They obviously knew the area I was talking about but
exhibited a strange reluctance to talk about it at any length.  What
I've learned from other sources is that when the property was
privately-owned, the caretaker gave liberal hunting and fishing
permissions to local residents.  Now that the area has been taken over
for public use by the DNR, those same local residents are not, so I
understand, terribly pleased that their private playground has now
been 'opened up.'  I've also heard rumors of Sunday hunting going on
there during waterfowl and deer seasons, but these must just be rumors
since I know how honorable Maryland hunters and anglers are.

Anyway, if any of you know more about this area, please share it here.
I would urge everyone heading down to the shore to consider stopping
off to check the place out, especially during Spring migration.  Be
sure to wear blaze orange in the Fall months!

DIRECTIONS:  Take Rt. 50 east across the Bay Bridge to the
intersection with MD 404.  Drive east on Rt. 404 past Denton and past
both intersections with Rt. 16.  About 2 miles past the intersection
with Rt. 16 East watch for Noble Road.  If you come to the Delaware
State line while still on Rt. 404, you've gone too far.  Turn right
onto Noble Road.  In about a mile you'll pass the Smithville Community
Lake (probably a good spot to stop and scan for waterfowl in winter
months) on your right.  Shortly after the lake, Noble Road crosses
Bloomery Road.  There is a small country store at this intersection
(southeast corner) that sells rather good sandwiches!).  A few hundred
yards past this intersection the road crosses a small creek and then
you will see an unmarked dirt drive on the right.  Follow this drive
into a small parking lot by a chained off road.  There will be DNR
signs here, for the faint-of-heart.  Be warned that this place is
enormous, with paths running off in all directions.  Be prepared to
spend a lot of days exploring the locale at all seasons of the year!

Remember!  You heard it first on MDOsprey!!!


Cheers,
Norm

===============
Norm Saunders
Colesville, MD
osprey@ari.net

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