Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge.
On the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, this refuge attracts wintering lesser scaup, oldsquaws, white-winged scoters, ruddy ducks, canvasbacks, buffleheads, redheads, and pintails. Numerous marsh and shore birds migrate through in spring and fall. Mallards, black ducks, wood ducks, great blue herons, and green-backed herons nest at the refuge. Bald Eagles also breed here. To date 243 species of bird have been recorded in the refuge. To get to the refuge, leave the US 301 to get on to MD 213. Go to Chestertown and then head west on MD 20 to Rock Hall. Go south from there on MD 445 to the refuge.
Elk Neck State Park.
Located on the the Elk Neck peninsula in the northeast corner of Maryland, the Park features rolling hills covered with deciduous forests as well as grassy meadows. Birding during the fall migration can be especially exciting, as the funnel shape of the peninsula concentrates south-bound birds that are reluctant to head out over the water. The Turkey Point section of the Park is at the extreme south end of Elk Neck, and an annual Hawk Watch takes place here, starting around September 1 and ending at Thanksgiving.
Martin National Wildlife Refuge.
The Martin National Wildlife Refuge lies 11 miles west of Crisfield, MD, and Watts Island, which is located between the eastern shore of Virginia and Tangier Island. The islands that form Martin National Wildlife Refuge are almost entirely salt marsh, broken up by a maze of tidal creeks and several freshwater potholes. Wintering species on the refuge include black ducks, pintail, mergansers, long-tailed ducks, scoters, bufflehead, Canada geese, and tundra swans. During the spring and summer, black ducks, mallards, gadwall, and green-winged teal nest on the refuge. Gulls, terns, black skimmers, oystercatchers, and willets nest and feed along the marsh grasses, mud flats, and sand bars. Good numbers of waders can also be found here. Osprey are the most abundant raptor, and peregrine falcons breed on the two towers that have been erected for them. Look for passerines passing through during migration in spring and fall.
Patuxent Research Refuge.
20 miles north of Washington and 25 miles west of Baltimore, this refuge is ideally situated for visitors to these cities who are looking for a few hours birding. Patuxent Research Refuge supports a wide diversity of wildlife in forest, meadow, and wetland habitats. During the fall and spring migrations, many waterfowl and wader species stop to rest and feed. Over 270 species of birds occur on the Refuge. The National Wildlife Visitor Center here is located off of Powdermill Rd. between Route 197 and the Baltimore / Washington Parkway near Laurel.