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Re: RFI: Favorite Birding Spot in Your County-Summary of Responses-Part 1 (long)

From:

Ronald Gutberlet

Reply-To:

Ronald Gutberlet

Date:

Mon, 7 Apr 2008 21:46:43 -0400

Hi Everyone,

Our request for information about favorite birding locations in
Maryland counties was met with many helpful responses.  In the hope that
others will find these suggestions as beneficial as we have, we provide
a summary of them here.

John Hubbell (JH) provided a list of multiple locations for each MD
county; what follows is his list supplemented by the suggestions of
others.  Bill Hubick (BH) and Matt Hafner (MH) selected their favorite
location in each county, and Jim Brighton (JB) also provided input on
multiple counties.

The MOS website (http://www.mdbirds.org) includes much additional
information about MD birding locations.

Tyler Bell (TB), Jennifer Elmer (JE), Glen Lovelace (GL), Les Roslund
(LR), and Jeff Shenot (JS) provided extensive instructions for birding
particular areas.  These instructions (except those of Glen, which are
below) are included in part 2 of this email (to be sent separately).

Those who contributed information to this list are Tyler Bell (TB), Jim
Brighton (JB), Carol Broderick (CB), J.B. Churchill (JBC), Bill Ellis
(BE), Jennifer Elmer (JE), Fred Fallon (FF), Dan Haas (DH), Matt Hafner
(MH), Sue Hamilton (SH), John Hubbell (JH), Bill Hubick (BH), George
Jett (GJ), Glen Lovelace (GL), Joe McDaniel (JM), Rob and Wendy Olsson
(RWO), Dave Powell (DP), Les Roslund (LR), Jeff Shenot (JS), Pat Valdata
(PV). Their initials are listed below after each location they
suggested.  Thanks again to everyone!

Ron and Carol Gutberlet
Salisbury, MD
 


GARRETT
Finzel Swamp (JB, JBC, MH, JH, BH)
Piney Reservoir (JH)
Youghigheny Reservoir (JH)
Deep Creek Lake (JH)
Mountain Lake (JB, JH)
Savage River SP (JH)
Swallow Falls SP (JB, JH)
Russell Rd / Aaron Run Rd (JH)
Mount Nebo (JM)
Websites: http://www.westernmdbirding.com/garrett_sites.html 
http://acbc.al.umces.edu 

ALLEGANY
Green Ridge SF (JB, MH, JH)
Town Hill hawk watch (JH)
Rocky Gap State Park (JB, JBC, JH, BH)
C&O Canal Terminus, Cumberland (JH)
C&O Canal, North Branch (JH)
Websites: http://www.westernmdbirding.com/allegany_sites.html 
http://acbc.al.umces.edu 

WASHINGTON
Big Pool / Ft Frederick SP (JH, BH)
Washington Monument SP (JH)
Indian Springs WMA (MH)
Potomac River (JB)

FREDERICK
Lilypons Aquatic Gardens (MH, JH, BH)
Kirschner’s Pond (JH)
Gambrills SP (JH)
Washington Monument SP (JH)
Potomac River (JB)
Website: http://www.natureimagesandsounds.com/fredcomos/index.htm 

MONTGOMERY
Black Hill RP (JH, DP)
Little Bennett RP (JH)
Blue Mash (JH, DP)
C&O Canal (JB, JH, BH)
Hughes Hollow (BH, DP)
Violette’s Lock (BH, DP)
Riley’s Lock (DP)
Sycamore Landing (MH)
Pennyfield Lock (JB)
Website: http://www.mdkinc.com/mccbird/index.html 

CARROLL
Piney Run County Park (JB, BE, JH, BH)--W of Eldersburg, Martz Rd off
of White Rock Rd-DeLorme 57A5&B5
Morgan Run Natural Environment Area (BE, MH, JH)--South-at the N end of
Ben Rose Lane, off Bartholow Rd at Jim Bowers Rd-DeLorme 74D1
Liberty Reservoir (JH)
New Windsor Sewage Ponds (JH)
Patapsco Valley SP (BE, JH)--McKeldin Area-Marriottsville Rd N of
Marriottsville-DeLorme 57A4

HOWARD
Centennial Lake (JH)
Triadelphia Reservoir / Pigtail (JH)
Western Regional Park (JH)
Patapsco SP (JH)
Middle Patuxent Environmental Area (JH, BH)
Website: http://howardbirds.org 

BALTIMORE
Hart-Miller Island (MH, JH)
Loch Raven Reservoir (JH, BH)
Cromwell Valley Park (BH)
North Point SP (JH)
Milford Mill Park (RWO)
Website: http://baltimorebirdclub.org 

ANNE ARUNDEL
Jug Bay / Wooten Landing (MH, JH, JS)
Patuxent North Tract (JH)
Halethorpe Farms (JH)
Gambrills Dairy Farm (JH)
Fort Smallwood (BH)
Website: http://www.aabirdclub.org 

PRINCE GEORGES
Aquasco Natural Resource Mgmt Area (check the fields) (MH, JS)
Milltown Landing Natural Resource Mgmt Area (check the fields) (FF,
JS)
Billingsley Manor (check the fields) (JS)
Beltsville Ag Research Center (check the fields) (JS)
Patuxent Wildlife Visitor Cent
er (Cache Lake) (JS)
Patuxent River Park (check the fields and river at Selby’s Landing,
Jackson Landing, and Mt Calvert Manor) (JH, JS)
Russet Center (Lake Russet) (JS)
Merkle WMA (check the fields, ponds, and river area) (FF, JH, JS)
Piscataway Park (along Potomac River) (JH, JS)
Lake Artemesia (FF, JH)
Bladensburg Marina (JH)
Jug Bay Critical Driving Tour (FF, BH)

CHARLES
Cobb Island (MH, JH, BH, GJ)
Myrtle Grove (JH)
Mattewoman WMA (JH)
Doncaster Demonstration Forest (JH)
Allen’s Fresh (JH, GJ)
Morgantown Road bay access (BH)

CALVERT
Flag Ponds Nature Park (TB, JB, SH, JH)
Calvert Cliffs SP (TB, DH, JH)
Chestnut Land Trust (JH)
Solomons Island (DH, JH)
Battle Creek Cypress Swamp (JB, SH, BH)
North Beach marsh (TB, SH)
Kings Landing Park (DH)
Smoky Road, aka Huntingtown NRMA (MH)

ST MARYS
Point Lookout State Park (TB, MH, JH, BH)
St Marys River State Park (JH)
Wildlands section off of Indian Bridge Road
St Marys Wildlands (JH)
Beauvue Ponds (TB, JB, JH)
Myrtle Point Park (TB, JH)

HARFORD
Swan Harbor Farm (MH, JH, BH)
Harford Glen Park (JH)
Susquehanna SP (JH), including Lapidum Landing (MH)
Conowingo (JH)
Website: http://www.harfordbirdclub.org 

CECIL
Turkey Point (JH, BH, PV)
Perryville Community Park (JH, PV)
Fairhill WMA (JH, PV)
Port Deposit (MH)
Website: http://www.udel.edu/cecilbirds 

KENT
Eastern Neck NWR (JH, BH)
Millington WMA (MH, JH)
Great Oak Pond (JH)
Chesapeake Farms (JH)
John Hanson Rd Sewage Pond (JH)
Website: http://kentcounty.com/birding/kcchapter.htm 

QUEEN ANNES
Terrapin Park (JH, BH)
Horsehead (JH)
Wye Island (JH)
Chino Farms (MH)

CAROLINE
Tuckahoe SP (JH)
Martinak SP (JH)
Adkins Arboretum (JH)
Area east of Rt 313 between Denton and Goldsboro (MH)
Idlywild WMA, esp. from the Noble Rd entrance, has extensive trails
along old borrow pit ponds and Marshyhope Creek.  Fields and edge
habitat then going into the bottomland forest along the creek.  Very
nice in the summer.  Also from Houston Branch Rd entrances near White Rd
and Turner Rd.  (GL, BH)
Line Rd (parallels 404 to the south, heading west from just north of
Smithville Pond).  A mix of fields, forest and cutoff habitats plus a
couple of small ponds.  Should have field puddles bringing in shorebirds
in the coming weeks. (GL)
County Farm Rd northeast of Denton.  Another one stop shopping road
with a mix of farm fields, forest and cutoffs.  Excellent both on the
CBC and atlas.  Not too far away, on Garland Rd north of Camp Rd, there
is another productive puddle. (GL)
Clark Rd/Sparks Lane/Stevenson Rd area north of Ridgely.  It has Snow
Buntings and longspurs in the winter (not sure how long they stay) and
the Ridgely WWTP (open business hours). (GL)
The Denton WWTP except that they will not let you in.  So you have to
cheat.  Drive behind the Roses shopping center at 404 and Legion Rd,
climb the embankment and look into the back pond through the fence. 
Then drive into the industrial park, turn into the DishNetwork (or
DirecTV one) parking lot and you can see part of the front pond. (GL)
The series of river access points along the lower Choptank.  Water
birds, ducks, gulls, terns, marsh birds are tough to come by in Caroline
and these spots are about your only chances.  Start with Gilpin Point Rd
northwest of Harmony, then Gainey's Wharf, Tanyard Marsh (MD 331 at
Dover bridge) and be careful of traffic, Hog Island Rd and the town of
Choptank boat ramp. (GL, JH)

TALBOT
Pickering Creek (MH, JH, BH, LR)
Poplar Island (JH)
Walnut Point (JH)
Easton WWTP (JH)

DORCHESTER
Blackwater NWR (JH)
Cambridge/Choptank River (JH)
Elliott Island Road (BH)
Hurlock area (MH)

WICOMICO
Nassawango (JH)
Demonstration Forest, Old Bradley Rd. (JH)
Bivalve (JH)
Muddy Hole Road (BH)
Wetipquin Marsh/Tyaskin (BH)
Roaring Point County Park (CB)
“Campground Road” next to road to Roaring Point County Park (CB)
Nanticoke (MH)
Old Route 50, but now closed (MH)
Pemberton Park
Salisbury Landfill
Barren Creek Pond
Schumaker Pond

SOMERSET
Deal 
Island WMA (JH)
Wellington WMA (JH)
Irish Grove/Rumbly Point Road (JE, BH)
Pocomoke Sound WMA (JE)
Jane’s Island SP (JE)
Fairmount WMA (MH)

WORCESTER
Pelagics (JH)
Assateague (JE, JH)
Bayside Point (MH)
West Ocean City Pond (JH)
Nassawango (JH, BH)
Pocomoke SF (JH)
Ocean City Inlet (BH)
Pocomoke Sand Pits (JE)
Shad Landing SP (JE)


SUGGESTIONS BY SEASON FROM JOHN HUBBELL:
Winter (Nov-March)
	Dorchester - Blackwater
	Somerset - Deal Island
	Queen Anne’s - Horsehead
	Prince George’s - Piscataway Park, Lake Artemesia
	Carroll - Piney Run Reservoir
	Worcester - Pelagic, Inlet
	Washington - Big Pool
	Charles - Cobb Island, Mattewoman.
	Montgomery - Black Hill RP, C&O Canal
	Frederick - Kirshner’s Pond
	Garrett - Deep Creek Lake, Mountain Lake
	Kent - Eastern Neck, John Hanson Rd Sewage Pond


Spring (April-May)
	Wicomico / Worcester -- Nassawango
	Harford - Susquehana SP, Harford Glen, Swan Harbor
	Howard - Middle Patuxent EA, Patapsco SP
	Calvert - Calvert Cliff St Park, Flag Ponds
	Montgomery - Little Bennett RP
	Allegany - Green Ridge SF

Summer (June-July)
	Garrett - Savage Run SP, Swallow Falls SP, Russell Rd.

Fall (August - September)
	Talbot - Poplar Island
	Garrett - Youghigheny Reservoir, Piney Reservoir
	Baltimore - Hart-Miller
	Cecil - Turkey Point
	St Mary’s - Pt Lookout
	Eastern Shore migrant traps
	Queen Anne’s - Terrapin Park.
	Talbot - Walnut Pt
	Dorchester - Taylor Island.
	Cecil - Turkey Pt
	Kent - Eastern Neck
	Worcester -- Assateague

October/November
	Allegany - Town Hill, Rocky Gap, North Branch
	Washington  -- Washington Monument SP
	Cecil - Turkey Point