Field Trip Schedule – MOS Convention

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

This is the Field Trip Schedule for the 2023 Convention.

Field trips sign-ups are now closed.

For 2023 field trip descriptions, please click here.

For 2023 field trip leader bios, please click here.

Most field trip leaders will meet participants in the designated parking area of the Wisp Resort, where they will depart as a group and caravan to the field trip site.

Some field trip leaders will meet their group at the site. For these trips, an address and/or GPS coordinates are provided on the schedule below (scroll down).

All Friday afternoon, Saturday all-day and Saturday afternoon field trips will return by 4:00 pm for the wine & cheese socials. All Saturday and Sunday morning trips will return by 11:00 am for lunch. Depending on the meal plan selected, a boxed lunch will be provided for all-day field trips.

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 may 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.

Friday, May 19 AFTERNOON FIELD TRIPS (1:00 pm – 4:00 pm)

Friday afternoon field trips include:

Finzel Swamp & Piney Reservoir
New Germany State Park
Forestry Walk: Managing Maryland Forests
Three-state Sweep
Trout Run WWTP and Broadford Lake
Cranesville Swamp Natural Area
Cunningham Swamp Wildlife Management Area
North Cherry Creek Bog Preserve
Beginner Atlasing at Wisp Resort
Beginner Birder Walk

Departing at 1:00 pm

Finzel Swamp & Piney Reservoir, with Kurt Schwarz. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~35 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Kurt will meet you in Parking Lot A.
New Germany State Park, with Russ Kovach. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~30 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Russ will meet you in Parking Lot B.
Forestry Walk: Managing Maryland Forests, with Scott Campbell, Noah Rawe, and Kari McPartland. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~30 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot C. Meeting Location: Kari will lead the group from Parking Lot C. Scott and Noah will meet the group at the Kindness Demonstration Area parking lot, located at 834 Fingerboard Road, Oakland, MD 21550. Use GPS coordinates 39.422909, -79.473913.
Three-state Sweep, with Cheryl Hogue. Cost: Free. Driving time: this field trip involves driving to multiple sites throughout the day. Departing from: Parking Lot D. Meeting Location: Cheryl will meet you in Parking Lot D.

Departing at 1:15 pm

Trout Run WWTP and Broadford Lake, with Karl Schwalm and Alex Koch. 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. Driving time: ~25 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Karl and Alex will meet you in Parking Lot A.
Cranesville Swamp Preserve (WV), with Peter Hanan and Nick Nicholson. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~25 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Peter and Nick will meet you in Parking Lot B.
Cunningham Swamp Wildlife Management Area, with Gwen Brewer. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~15 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot C. Meeting Location: Gwen will meet you in Parking Lot C.

Departing at 1:30 pm

North Cherry Creek Bog Preserve, with Kevin Dodge. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~15 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Kevin will meet you in Parking Lot A. Kevin can take up to 10 participants in his van. Others are asked to carpool.
Beginner Atlasing at the Wisp Resort, with Sue Muller. Cost: Free. Driving time: none, as this field trip takes place at Wisp. Departing from: Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Sue will meet you in Parking Lot B.
Beginner Birder Walk at the Wisp Resort, with Mary Lou Clark and Karlyn McPartland. Cost: Free. Driving time: none, as this field trip takes place at Wisp. Departing from: Parking Lot C. Meeting Location: Mary Lou and Karlyn will meet you in Parking Lot C.

Friday, May 19 EVENING FIELD TRIP (after Friday Keynote Address)

Departing after Keynote Address ends

Nocturnal Noisemakers, sponsored by Toler Financial Group, with Kevin Dodge. Cost: Free. Driving time: this field trip involves driving to multiple sites. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Kevin will meet you in Parking Lot A. Kevin can take up to 10 participants in his van. Others are asked to carpool.

Saturday, May 20 ALL-DAY FIELD TRIPS (6:00 am – 4:00 pm)

Saturday all-day field trips include:

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

Departing at 6:00 am

Garrett County Lister’s Trip, with Atlee Wise and Aaron Graham. Cost: Free. Driving time: this field trip involves driving to multiple sites throughout the day. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Atlee and Aaron will meet you in Parking Lot A.
West Virginia All Day Trip, with Steve Sheffield and Karl Schwalm. Cost: Free. Driving time: this field trip involves driving to multiple sites throughout the day. Departing from: Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Steve and Karl will meet you in Parking Lot B.

Departing at 6:30 am

Tour of Old Hemlock, with LeJay Graffious. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~30 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: LeJay will meet you at 17098 Brandonville Pike, Bruceton Mills, WV. Use GPS coordinates 39.648284, -79.617151.
Coopers Rock & Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia, sponsored by Dan Stouffer Watercolors, with Katie Fallon and Kari McPartland. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~30 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Kari will lead the group from Parking Lot B. Katie will meet the group at the Raven Rock Trail parking area at Coopers Rock along Cooper Rock State Park Road. Use GPS coordinates 39.636591, -79.801358.

Saturday, May 20 MORNING FIELD TRIPS (6:00 am – 11:00 am)

Saturday morning field trips include:

Finzel Swamp & Piney Reservoir
New Germany State Park
Garrett County 4-H Camp
Cranesville Swamp Natural Area
Swallow Falls State Park
Piney Mountain Campground

Departing at 6:00 am

Finzel Swamp & Piney Reservoir, with Kevin Graff & Courtney Englar. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~35 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot C. Meeting Location: Kevin will meet you in Parking Lot C.
New Germany State Park, with Liz McDowell and Jo Cox. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~30 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot D. Meeting Location: Jo will meet you in Parking Lot D at Wisp, and Liz will meet you at parking lot #5 on McAndrews Hill Road near the lake grist mill stones at the entrance. Use GPS coordinates 39.63230876966682, -79.12248271450252.

Departing at 6:15 am

Garrett County 4-H Camp, with Connie Skipper and Crystal Fike. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~25 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Melissa Hensel will lead the group from Parking Lot A. Connie and Crystal will meet the group at the 4-H Camp. Use GPS coordinates 39.567524, -79.237025.
Cranesville Swamp Preserve (WV), sponsored by Nsomniak Art, with Russ Kovach. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~25 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Russ will meet you in Parking Lot B.
Swallow Falls State Park, with Peter Hanan and Nick Nicholson. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~20 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot C. Meeting Location: Peter and Nick will meet you in Parking Lot C.
Piney Mountain Campground, with Lois Kauffman. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~15 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot D. Meeting Location: Lois will meet you in Parking Lot D.

Saturday, May 20 AFTERNOON FIELD TRIPS & SEMINARS (12:30 pm – 4:00 pm)

Saturday afternoon field trips and seminars include:

Finzel Swamp & Piney Reservoir
Lost Lands
North Cherry Creek Bog Preserve
Trout Run WWTP & Broadford Lake
Seminar – Snowbirds: Wintering Warblers in the Caribbean
Seminar – Rising Tides: can habitat restoration save Maryland’s coastal birds from Sea Level Rise?

Departing at 12:30 pm

Finzel Swamp & Piney Reservoir, with Russ Kovach. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~35 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Russ will meet you in Parking Lot A.
Lost Lands, with Chuck Hager. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~15 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Chuck will meet you in Parking Lot B.

Departing at 1:00 pm

North Cherry Creek Bog Preserve, with Kevin Dodge. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~15 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Kevin will meet you in Parking Lot A. Kevin can take up to 10 participants in his van. Others are asked to carpool.
Trout Run WWTP and Broadford Lake, with Caroline Blizzard. 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. Driving time: ~25 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Caroline will meet you in Parking Lot B.

Seminars

1:00 pm – Snowbirds: Wintering Warblers in the Caribbean with Dr. Cody Kent, Assistant Professor of Quantitative Vertebrate Biology at Frostburg State University. Meeting Location: McHenry Lodge.

2:30 pm – Rising Tides – Can Habitat Restoration Save Maryland’s Coastal Birds from Sea Level Rise? with Dave Curson, Director of Bird Conservation (Maryland) at Audubon Mid-Atlantic. Meeting Location: McHenry Lodge.

Saturday, May 20 EVENING FIELD TRIP (after Saturday night presentation)

Departing after Saturday presentation ends

Nocturnal Noisemakers, with Kevin Dodge. Cost: Free. Driving time: this field trip involves driving to multiple sites. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Kevin will meet you in Parking Lot A. Kevin can take up to 10 participants in his van. Others are asked to carpool.

Sunday, May 21 MORNING FIELD TRIPS (6:00 am – 11:00 am)

Sunday morning field trips include:

Carey Run MOS Sanctuary
Savage River State Forest (Asa Durst Place trailhead parking area)
Finzel Swamp & Piney Reservoir
New Germany State Park
Trout Run WWTP and Broadford Lake
Swallow Falls State Park
Lewis Tract of the Cranesville Swamp Preserve
Piney Mountain Campground
The Glades

Departing at 6:00 am

Carey Run MOS Sanctuary, with Chuck Hager and Melissa Hensel. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~40 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Chuck and Melissa will meet you in Parking Lot A.
Savage River State Forest (Asa Durst Place Trail), with Liz McDowell and Jo Cox. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~35 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Jo will meet you in Parking Lot B at Wisp, and Liz will meet you at the Asa Durst Trailhead on West Shale Road. Use GPS coordinates 39.645949043618444, -79.13548704684045.
Finzel Swamp & Piney Reservoir, with Kevin Graff and Alex Koch. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~35 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot C. Meeting Location: Kevin and Alex will meet you in Parking Lot C.
New Germany State Park, with Peter Hanan and Karl Schwalm. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~30 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot D. Meeting Location: Peter and Karl will meet you in Parking Lot D.

Departing at 6:15 am

Trout Run WWTP and Broadford Lake, with Atlee Wise and Aaron Graham. 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. Driving time: ~25 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Atlee and Aaron will meet you in Parking Lot A.
Swallow Falls State Park, with Dave Curson. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~20 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot B. Meeting Location: Dave will meet you in Parking Lot B.
Lewis Tract of the Cranesville Swamp Preserve (MD), with Kevin Dodge. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~20 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot C. Meeting Location: Kevin will meet you in Parking Lot C. Kevin can take up to 10 participants in his van. Others are asked to carpool.
Piney Mountain Campground, with Lois Kauffman. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~15 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot D. Meeting Location: Lois will meet you in Parking Lot D.

Departing at 6:30 am

The Glades, with Russ Kovach. Cost: Free. Driving time: ~15 minutes. Departing from: Parking Lot A. Meeting Location: Russ will meet you in Parking Lot A.