Great Birding Locations in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Anne Arundel County Parks: Lists some great places to bird in our County!
Kinder Farm Park: Located off Jumpers Hole Rd. in Severna Park. Woodlands and fields.
B&A Trail Park: Great bike path following the old B&A railroad right-of-way through woodsy suburbs. Stop
your bike in areas of good habitat and check for birds.
Downs Park: Located on the Chesapeake in Northern AA County. Good water views and woodland trails.
Quiet Waters Park: Overlooking the South River on the Annapolis Peninsula. Great water views, woodlands
and a small freshwater marsh. (Friends of QWP) (Map)
Thomas Point: Small County park located at the tip of the Annapolis Peninsula surrounded by the
Chesapeake. This is a good location for wintering waterfowl. Spotting scopes are useful. Parking is very
limited so access has to be arranged beforehand. Call 410-222-1777 to make arrangement.
Greenbury Point: US Naval Academy property located at the mouth of the Severn River and Whitehall Creek,
on the Chesapeake. Great water views, with many acres of scrub/field habitat under the radio towers
(bobwhites!). Public access Thursdays 1-5pm and the first Saturday of the month, 8am-3pm. Do not go
beyond the rifle range signs if they are up. (Websites: USNA, USFWS)
Patuxent Wildlife Refuge System: (North Tract) Large inland area with a variety of habitats--overgrown fields,
woods, ponds, freshwater marshes, streams. Abandoned military area with miles of trails and roads; bicycling
an option on some. Near the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and Rte 32. Entrance off Rte 198 near Ft.
Meade. Stop at Visitor Contact Station for an Access Permit. Open 8am to 4pm except Federal holidays.
Refuge staff/volunteers organize some birding tours. (Info: 410-674-3304)
Fort Smallwood Park (Hawk Watch): Located at end of Fort Smallwood Rd (Rte 173) at the mouth of the
Patapsco River, overlooking the Chesapeake, in north AA County. Good beach, woodland and pond
habitats. Excellent for migrant raptors, particularly in the spring. AABC members are active participants in a
spring hawk watch in which raptors are counted daily; visitors are welcome to join them. Park entrance fee.
Open 7am to dusk.
Sandy Point State Park: Large park just north of the Bay Bridge, access from Rte 50 & 301. Excellent area
for migrant raptors, warblers, shorebirds, waterfowl, and gulls. Contains wooded and marshy areas as well as
beach, which can be crowded in summer. Boat launching area provides a good opportunity for kayak
launching and birding along the shore south of the park, but check the weather forecasts carefully as you will
be directly on the Chesapeake Bay. Entrance fee according to day and season. Seasonal hours.
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center: A global leader in the study of ecosystems in the coastal zone.
A large tract of wooded land on the tidal Rhode River with trails and a kayak/canoe launching area. This
research facility has allowed public access in the last few years. Excellent opportunity to observe marsh,
estuarine and wooded habitats, especially from the water. Trail guides available on site and some guided
tours are provided by the Smithsonian staff. Open 9am-4:30pm, Mon-Sat. No fee for access, $5 fee for boat
launch. Check-in required!
Waterworks Park: Annapolis' hidden gem for birding and hiking. Permit required!
Naval Academy Dairy Farm: An agricultural and environmental gem in Western Anne Arundel County. Permit
required!
Jug Bay Sanctuary: Over 1400 acres of tidal freshwater wetlands, forests, meadows and fields along the
Patuxent River. County park located on the Patuxent River in Southern Anne Arundel County. Lots of
freshwater tidal marsh and woodlands. Acres of wild rice attract many birds in the fall, including soras.
Access to the Sanctuary is limited so check their website for details. The adjoining Glendening Nature
Preserve is open to the public daily.
Maryland Birding HotSpots: A fine online resource with info and links to help you find great birds in Maryland!
For more information, please reference: http://www.aabirdclub.org/
All the best,
Dan Haas
http://wahzoh.blogspot.com/