Field Trips – MOS Convention

Check back here in 2024 for more information. The information below is from 2023.

Thank you to our friends at Mountaineer Audubon in West Virginia for helping us plan field trips and recruit field trip leaders!

Field trips sign-ups are closed.

MOS has field trips on Friday afternoon, Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning. Scroll down for field trip descriptions for the 2023 Convention.

Please review these field trip suggestions:

Carpooling is expected and expedient. Please help out drivers with a contribution towards the cost of gas.
Some venues have a nominal fee per vehicle. Please be prepared to contribute to this cost.
Be sure to have appropriate field gear: sturdy, waterproof boots and jacket, sunscreen, insect repellent and a good supply of water.
Please do not wander off the road except on public lands. Most private land is posted, but also do not enter the woods where trees are marked with blue paint blazes along public roads.

You can view this Google Map of 2023 field trip sites:

2023 Field Trip Descriptions

Many thanks to the field trip site descriptions provided by the Birder’s Guide to Maryland & DC, a project of the Maryland Ornithological Society! We also wish to thank our friends with the Allegany & Garrett Counties Bird Club for their great help reviewing site descriptions.

ALL-DAY FIELD TRIPS (SATURDAY ONLY)

Coopers Rock & Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia
Old Hemlock
Garrett County Lister’s Trip
West Virginia All Day Trip

Coopers Rock and the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, sponsored by Dan Stouffer Watercolors: This field trip will begin with birding and hiking at Coopers Rock State Forest, and will end with lunch and an ambassador animal presentation at the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia. Established in 1936, Coopers Rock State Forest has been certified as an Important Bird Area (IBA), and boasts some of the most iconic views in West Virginia. Located about 13 miles from Morgantown, the park features canyon overlooks, historical sites, picnic shelters, and 50 miles of hiking and biking trails. The forest is named for Coopers Rock, a series of sandstone cliffs above the Cheat River Gorge. Legend has it that a fugitive hid near what is now the overlook. A cooper by trade, he continued to make and sell barrels from his mountain hideout. We will be birding specifically on the Raven Rock Trail, which is 2.5 miles total out to the overlook and back. Species observed here may include Cerulean Warbler, Ovenbirds, Hooded Warbler, Scarlet Tanager, Wood Thrush, and more. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here. Located ~5 miles from the morning hike, The Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia (ACCA) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization located near Morgantown, WV. They are licensed by the US Fish & Wildlife Service to treat and rehabilitate injured, ill, or orphaned wild birds, including raptors, eagles, songbirds, waterbirds, waterfowl, and sea birds. They are also licensed to possess non-releasable birds for educational purposes, and they sponsor the West Virginia Young Birders Club. Read more here.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: In the morning, we will be hiking about 2.5 miles total out to the overlook and back. We will eat lunch and tour the ACCA in the afternoon.
Facilities: For Coopers Rock, restrooms are available at a nearby picnic area located a short driving distance from the Raven Rock trailhead. If you want to use this facility, you will need to drive there, use the restrooms, and then drive back to the Raven Rock trailhead. There are nice restrooms located at the ACCA.
Meeting location: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Old Hemlock was the home of George Bird and Kathryn Harris Evans. Mr. Evans was a noted artist, author, outdoorsman and developer of the famous Old Hemlock line of English Setters. Mrs. Evans co-authored, edited and published books and articles. The Old Hemlock property contains virgin hemlock trees and is maintained in its natural state with multi-age woodlands as a nature and wildlife preserve. The site is also a registered bird banding laboratory. The Evans house was built in about 1815 on property originally deeded in 1782. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in December 16, 2015. The excursion will include a three mile hike on the property to a virgin hemlock stand, a tour of the historic house, an overview of George’s and Kay’s Life, a short presentation on the scientific management of 232 acres, introduction to the Old Hemlock setters, and bird banding demonstration. We will be hiking through 60 year old successional forests, newly cut Golden-Winged Warbler habitat developmental area and climax beech/oak/hemlock woodlands. The property is located at 17098 Brandonville Pike, Bruceton Mills, WV. More information can be found at www.oldhemlock.org.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: We will be on our feet for much of the day hiking about 3 miles with 400 feet change in elevation in the morning and tour the historic home in the afternoon.
Facilities: Yes.
Meeting location: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Garrett County Lister’s Trip: Join Atlee Wise and Aaron Graham on an all-day field trip designed to help participants add species to their Garrett County list or state list. Atlee and Aaron will scout locations during the week before the convention. They will likely start the Lister’s Trip at Swallow Falls State Park and work their way east hitting hotspot locations such as Broadford Lake, Mt Zion Road, and Deep Creek Lake searching for migrant waterfowl and shorebirds. They will then move on to the Friendsville area and then east towards Finzel Swamp. During the Lister’s Trip, Atlee and Aaron will help participants search for migrant warblers and shorebirds. They will be seeking Garrett County favorites such as Golden-winged Warbler, Cerulean Warbler and Black-billed Cuckoo.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 14
Difficulty: Moderate, expect some hiking on trails that may be rugged, wet, muddy and steep.
Facilities: The group will make stops for restrooms as needed.
Meeting location: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

West Virginia All Day Trip: Join avid birder and Professor of Biology Steve Sheffield for this field trip through Preston and Tucker Counties, West Virginia. Steve will take you to areas he knows very well from all of his Field Biology class field trips to these locations. We will work our way south from Wisp in the morning, starting at Cathedral Forest and continuing to Blackwater Falls State Park. At this point, we can get some lunch, either bring your own box lunch from Wisp or purchase at the world-famous Hellbender Burritos or other shop in Davis, WV. Following lunch, we will explore Canaan Valley NWR, stopping at the Visitors Center and the Balsam Fir Swamp at the State Park, and the Freeland Rd site. All locations should be really good for migrants. Read more here. Please note: the sites on this field trip will generally be at higher elevation than other trips not in West Virginia.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 14
Difficulty: Moderate due to length of walking, pace will not be super fast but will not be slow either, comfortable boots recommended.
Facilities: Restrooms will be available at most locations.
Meeting location: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

HALF-DAY FIELD TRIPS

Beginner Atlasing at the Wisp Resort: January 2020 marked the beginning of the 3^rd Breeding Bird Atlas of Maryland and the District of Columbia (BBA3). With two years left to go in this 5-year field survey, we need your help to make it a success. This workshop will help birders of all skill levels, from beginner to advanced, to contribute valuable data on the breeding status of our regional birds. Our goal for the BBA3 is to refine our knowledge of the current distribution, relative abundance, and the timing of breeding for all the breeding birds of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Read more here. For eBird sightings at Wisp in May, click here. Note: please have eBird and the Merlin app on you phones and ready to go for this workshop.

Cost: Free.
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Easy to moderate walking on mostly level surfaces.
Facilities: Restrooms available at Wisp.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Beginner Birder Walk: Like the name describes, this trip is aimed at beginner birders! The group will search for birds who will be our neighbors at Wisp Resort during the convention. Who knows, some Garrett County specialties might be hiding right under our noses. The pace will be slower to warm into the weekend, and questions are encouraged! Extra binoculars may also be available. For eBird sightings at Wisp in May, click here.

Cost: Free.
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Easy – slow pace, mosey around the Wisp property to the ability and interest of the group.
Facilities: Restrooms available at Wisp.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Broadford Lake is a small man-made lake in the Appalachian Plateau, located in a park owned by the town of Oakland. Broadford Lake was built in 1972 as a water supply reservoir for the town and opened for fishing and recreation in 1975. Adjacent woodlands provide good habitat for songbirds. It is a popular birding site throughout the year and is known to be a good spot for finding waterfowl and songbirds. In fact, it’s the #1 eBird hotspot in Garrett County in terms of number of species reported. The lake covers 140 acres of the 400-acre park and public access is allowed along the entire shoreline. The upper shallow end contains submerged stumps, lily pads, and flats with heavy growth of aquatic vegetation, providing ideal habitat for fish as well as birds that eat fish. The lake is stocked with fish every year. Brush piles created by beavers near deeper water also provide excellent habitat for birds. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here. Please note: this site is paired with a trip to Trout Run WWTP.

Cost: Free, but if the group enters the gate at Broadford Lake, there is a $4/vehicle entry fee that must be deposited in a box. There is free parking outside of the gate.
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Easy to moderate walking on mostly level surfaces.
Facilities: Restrooms available in nearby Oakland between stops.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Carey Run MOS Sanctuary was the first property to be purchased by the Maryland Ornithological Society. The original purchase in 1962 was a 52-acre farm, complete with a farmhouse. In 1973, MOS purchased another 110 acres, bringing Carey Run to its current size of 162 acres. The sanctuary is located in eastern Garrett County and is named for the stream, Carey Run, which flows through the property. The majority of the land is covered by mixed deciduous forest interspersed with Eastern Hemlock groves. The sanctuary also holds plantations of white pine and Douglas fir. There is a small meadow near the house; a large field and hedgerow combination, along with an old orchard, at the northwest border; and a set of wildlife hedges and grassy meadows in the southwest corner. The fields and meadows are mown once annually to maintain good habitat for a diverse assortment of grassland birds as well as for pollinators. Carey Run has an extensive bluebird nest box trail, which is maintained and monitored by local MOS members and students. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here.

Cost: Free.
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Moderate trails, uneven at places due to tree roots and can be muddy in spots.
Facilities: No restrooms.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

The Cranesville Swamp Preserve, sponsored by Nsomniak Art, is a well-known mountain peatland that straddles the Maryland – West Virginia border. Cranesville Swamp is protected by The Nature Conservancy and is actually a complex of wetlands, including forested swamps, shrub swamps, sedge meadows, and Sphagnum bogs. Although a large portion of the swamp is inaccessible to birders, viewing opportunities abound along the edges and on the Conservancy’s trail and boardwalk. Trips may turn up Alder Flycatcher, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden- crowned Kinglet, Golden-winged Warbler, and Northern Waterthrush. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here.

Cost: Free.
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Moderate trails, uneven at places due to tree roots and can be muddy in spots. The boardwalk will likely be underwater due to a beaver dam, so waterproof boots are recommended.
Facilities: No restrooms.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Cunningham Swamp Wildlife Management Area has exceptional habitat for wetland and bog-related bird species. In addition to the swamp and bog habitat, there are open fields and upland forests with patches of conifers. The WMA is in the headwaters of the Casselman River, and lies tucked between the North and South Branches. The wetlands of the Main Tract of the WMA are associated with Pleasant Valley Run, a tributary of the North Branch. The Main Tract of Cunningham Swamp WMA is on the west side of Route 495 and contains 257 acres. The majority is wetland with a core area centered around a hillside that contains three mowed paths that lead away from the parking lot. The open fields contain scattered nest boxes that host Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows during breeding season, and there are Wood Duck boxes at the ponds. The scrub-shrub that lies between the fields and more mature woods holds many songbirds. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 15
Difficulty: Moderate walking along a mowed grass trail, including one potential hill trail.
Facilities: No restrooms.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Finzel Swamp Preserve is an approximately 326-acre property owned by The Nature Conservancy (TNC). It is located partly in Garrett and partly in Allegany County in a topographic depression between Big Savage and Little Savage Mountains in what is called a “Frost Pocket.” This is a climatological phenomenon that is more common farther north, and results in cold air being trapped at the site. The result is a rich habitat containing many rare, cold-tolerant plants that are more common farther north. The centerpiece of the preserve is Cranberry Swamp, which is a relic of the last Ice Age and is at least 15,000 years old. The American larch trees (Larix laricina) that occur here are unusual in Maryland, in fact constituting one of only two known stands in the state. Other northern plants that occur in Finzel Preserve include alder and red spruce. You can read more about the plant communities at Finzel in the Nature Conservancy’s Visitor Guide. The unusual plants in the swamp host an interesting set of breeding birds, including Alder Flycatcher and Northern Waterthrush. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here. Please note: this site is paired with a trip to Piney Reservoir.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Easy to moderate walking trail (gravel/dirt/grass) on mostly level surfaces.
Facilities: No restrooms.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Forestry Walk: Managing Maryland Forests: Not your average birding field trip, this field trip will have a slightly different focus adjacent to the largest industry in western Maryland: Forestry! Our Maryland Forests perform many critical environmental and social functions that are enhanced through the stewardship of foresters and forest landowners. Hear a forest manager tell their story while going on a trail walk on Kindness Demonstration Trail in Potomac-Garrett State Forest. Participants will see and hear how our state forests are managed for multiple benefits, including managing for wildlife, with an emphasis on birds that use different stages of forest succession. The gently rolling trail is on an old logging road through the heart of the first parcel of the Maryland State Forest system. Donated by the Garrett brothers in 1906 the land carried the military plot name “Kindness Tract”. This 1.25 trail (one way) features interpretive signage on forest management practices as it traverses several different types of timber plot. Read more here.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: The trail is an easy to medium 1.25 mile out-and-back on a gravel road that also serves as a Disabled Hunter access road.
Facilities: No restrooms.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Garrett County 4-H Center, locally known as Pleasant Valley, is located in central Garrett County and boasts over 1100 acres of private and public land. A walk through the mix of forests, fields, a lake and small wetlands yields a diversity of typical Garrett County species. Hermit Thrushes regularly sing from here. Magnolia, Black-throated Green and Blackburnian Warblers are common. Golden-crowned Kinglets, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and Red-headed Woodpeckers may be found. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Easy to moderate walking trails (grass/dirt/gravel) or gravel road. Can be muddy in spots.
Facilities: Portable toilet should be available.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

The Lewis Tract of the Cranesville Swamp Preserve is located on the Maryland side of this protected area that is managed by The Nature Conservancy. The preserve offers a wet and fairly undisturbed forest of red spruce, eastern hemlock, yellow birch, red maple, and American mountain ash – probably the best remaining example of this habitat in Maryland. Alder Flycatcher, Blue-headed Vireo, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush, Northern Waterthrush, Dark-eyed Junco, and Magnolia Warbler all breed here. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Trails are rugged and very wet.
Facilities: No restrooms.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Lost Lands: Walk a part of a wooded glade like those that covered much of Garrett County before the creation of Deep Creek Lake. See “Green Glades” flora like gray dogwood, hazelnut, winterberry, cinnamon fern and several viburnums and the birds that inhabit these areas like Pine, Blackburnian, and Yellow-rumped Warblers and possibly catch sights of the Broad-winged Hawk , which has nested in the area for the last eight years, and the state’s first recorded nesting of a Merlin. A pair of these small falcons have nested in this area for the last nine years. A short walk where water-proof hiking boots are suggested will take us back to bathroom facilities. From there another short car ride will provide glimpses of grassland birds like Field Sparrows, Bobolinks, and Red-winged Blackbirds. Then another car ride will enable those taking this trip to see the “Lost Lands” area of Garrett County where we have high hopes of hearing and seeing the thrush trifecta of Veeries, Wood Thrushes and Hermit Thrushes. Bushy areas may provide Chestnut-sided Warblers and tree tops may permit sights of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Scarlet Tanagers. The beginnings of the Potomac River are here and should get us some good birds. You will be outside and seeing nature but no long hikes are planned so just those ankle-high waterproof boots are suggested.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Trails will likely be wet. Waterproof boots are recommended.
Facilities: Restrooms are available at the beginning of the trip.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

New Germany State Park is frequently called a “best kept secret.” This mountain gem is nestled between the 2,900 ft. Big Savage Mountain to the east and the eastern Continental Divide along Meadow Mountain to the west. New Germany has diverse forests with ten miles of multi-use trails and a small lake suitable for fishing, swimming, and paddling. New Germany State Park is a popular destination for birders visiting our region. Especially favored are the tall conifers (both native hemlocks and planted Norway spruces) that are frequented by Golden-crowned Kinglet and Blackburnian Warbler. Adjacent rhododendron-lined Poplar Lick hosts Magnolia, Black-throated Blue and Canada Warbler. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Easy to moderate, flat walking trails (gravel/dirt/grass) with uneven areas due to tree roots and possible muddy and slippery areas after rainy weather.
Facilities: Restrooms facilities available at the Lake House building near the lake and main parking lot.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

North Cherry Creek Bog Preserve is an 850+ acre Nature Conservancy property that is home to a number of rare species of animals and plants, and offers some excellent birding. Sphagnum bogs, beaver meadows, shrub swamps, and red spruce-eastern hemlock-rhododendron stands provide habitat for a number of the bird species people seek when they come to Garrett County. Red-shouldered Hawk and Common Raven are frequently sighted overhead, and Alder Flycatcher, Northern Waterthrush, and Canada Warbler are all possible in the wet shrub thickets. If we’re lucky, we may see a pair of Sandhill Cranes with very young colts! Special permission of The Nature Conservancy and an adjacent landowner allows us to explore this preserve.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 12
Difficulty: Trails are rugged and very wet and muddy.
Facilities: No restrooms.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Piney Mountain Campground is located north of Oakland in the Potomac-Garrett State Forest. Birders often zoom up and over Piney Mountain on their way to supposedly greener birding pastures at Cranesville Swamp, but this hotspot offers great birding opportunities for anyone taking the time to explore. The campground has mixed deciduous woods, some White Pine and Hemlock, and rather dense undergrowth of Rhododendron, shrubs and wildflowers along the gravel road. Warblers, vireos, woodpeckers, thrushes and the typical woodland birds are usually found there. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 12
Difficulty: This is easy to walk, as there is little change in elevation.
Facilities: There is a toilet by the parking area.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Piney Reservoir is a manmade freshwater lake that acts as a water supply reservoir for Frostburg, MD. It is west of the town of Finzel in Garrett County and can be reached from Piney Run Road north of US Route 40. An access road takes you out along the edge of the lake so that you can bird from the car or park at the large pull-off past the row of trees that line the road, and set up a scope. No boats are allowed on Piney Reservoir, but the reservoir is open to fishing or birding from the shore. Public access is allowed along its entire shoreline. There are no trails. Piney Reservoir’s surface area is 120 acres with a maximum depth of 35 feet. The upper shallow end of the lake has heavy growth of aquatic vegetation during the summer months, providing habitat for waders. Near the lower portion, flooded standing timber provides a different habitat. A wetland at a creek mouth on the east side of the access road offers good habitat for passerines. The rocky dam breast area should be checked for swallows in the warm months. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here. Please note: this site is paired with a trip to Finzel Swamp.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Easy walking along mostly paved road.
Facilities: No restrooms.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Savage River State Forest‘s more than 54,000 acres provides a myriad of outdoor recreation in northeastern Garrett County. More than 11,000 acres of the forest have been designated as State Wildlands. The Asa Durst Trails area is a lesser-used section with over 4 miles of hiking trails through rolling forestlands. Along the trail you will observe stands of pine and spruce, stream valleys rimmed in rhododendron, and upland hardwood forests that have reclaimed former pastures and farmlands. It is a second growth mixed hardwood forest dominated by oak species, sugar and red maple, black cherry, hickory and ash. We will likely encounter all sorts of migrating forest species. Tune up your ears to warblers singing around every corner including Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Black-and-white, Canada Warbler, Ovenbird, as well as the ethereal tones of thrushes like the Veery. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 15
Difficulty: Moderate trail, uneven with rocks, roots, mud, and stream crossings.
Facilities: No restrooms.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Swallow Falls State Park is located in the mountains nine miles north of Oakland, Maryland and contains some of Maryland’s most picturesque scenery. The park features three of Maryland’s most spectacular waterfalls along a 1 ¼-mile trail through old-growth hemlock forest – the last large hemlock forest in the State. The Youghiogheny River and several of its tributaries converge in the park. At nearly 60 feet tall, Muddy Creek Falls, a highlight on the park’s main trail, is Maryland’s tallest free-falling waterfall. The park’s rivers and streams pass through shaded rocky gorges and feature rippling rapids and white water. With 257 acres, the park is compact enough to allow thorough birding coverage, but be aware that some of the trails are hilly and can be muddy and slippery after rain. The park also features camping, fishing, and picnic areas. The trails at Swallow Falls weave through a 40-acre grove of old-growth hemlocks. Read more here. For eBird sightings in May, click here.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Moderate walking with some hilly trails that can be muddy and slippery after rain.
Facilities: Restrooms available.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

The Glades is one of Maryland’s oldest peatlands, dating back 18,000 years. It is also the state’s largest and most open peatland. It is the central bog area of the largest wetland complex in western Maryland. This wetland covers some 600 acres and contains peat up to nine feet deep. The peatlands of western Maryland began forming during the most recent Ice Age. As the glaciers slowly advanced from the north, only those plants adapting to the colder climate survived. Some of these boreal plants are still found in parts of Maryland today. Its unusual ecology creates the necessary habitat for at least ten state-rare plant and animal species. The Glades hosts Alder Flycatcher and Northern Waterthrush, and an adjacent pond (the legacy of past peat mining) can produce some surprising waterbirds. Read more here.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 12
Difficulty: Trails are rugged and very wet and muddy. Waterproof boots are recommended.
Facilities: No restrooms.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Three-state Sweep: This trip is especially for those who want to plump up their eBird stats with a new state or states or new counties — but all are welcome. We’ll visit one eBird hotspot each in West Virginia (Preston County), Pennsylvania (Fayette County), and Maryland (northwest Garrett County). Let’s see what birds we can find in a relatively short time at each one and boost the data for these underbirded spots. This trip will involve a total of about an hour of driving.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Easy to moderate walking on mostly level surfaces.
Facilities: If needed, the group will stop at restrooms between sites.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

Trout Run Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) is located on Norris Welch Road in Oakland, MD. Birders are welcome to explore the unrestricted areas to search and scope the open pond for waterfowl and waders. A variety of shorebirds can be noted if the adjacent field is flooded. The forested buffers along nearby Trout Run may also yield warblers, vireos and flycatchers. Species may include Wood Duck, Semipalmated Sandpiper and Willow Flycatcher. For eBird sightings in May, click here. Please note: this site is paired with a trip to Broadford Lake.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 20
Difficulty: Easy to moderate walking on mostly level surfaces.
Facilities: Restrooms available in nearby Oakland between stops.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.

EVENING FIELD TRIPS

Nocturnal Noisemakers, sponsored by Toler Financial Group: On Friday and Saturday nights following the evening program, we will depart to listen for owls and other nighttime vocalists (hopefully not including yahoos, nor their shotguns, fireworks, four-wheelers, or dogs!). We’re sure to hear spring peepers, green frogs, and possibly other frogs and toads. Great Horned, Barred, Eastern Screech-, and Northern Saw-whet Owls are all possible if conditions cooperate. Eastern Whip-poor-will, Virginia Rail and Sora are possibilities too. The trips will not be held if it’s too windy, raining, or snowing (it could happen). Departure times will be announced at the end of the evening program. Participants are asked to sign up for one night only.

Cost: Free
Maximum # participants: 15
Difficulty: Easy to moderate walking on mostly level surfaces.
Facilities: No restrooms, but can stop if needed.
Meeting locations: Please see the Field Trip Schedule for up-to-date meeting locations.