Reliable bird photography locations in DC metro area (inc. Maryland and Northern Virginia)

Hi,

 

I am seeking recommendations on reliable sites in the DC metro area (including

the Maryland suburbs and northern Virginia) for bird photography. By this, I

mean sites where one has predictably excellent opportunities bird photography,

perhaps conditioned on a certain time of year, or certain time of day.

 

There is only one site I know of where I can almost be assured opportunities on

each visit. That is Huntley Meadows in Alexandria. I am looking for others.

 

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Its been a long time ago, but some of the more interesting sites I saw were in Delware. I recall going to Lewis, DE (from Baltimore) and seeing flocks of Snow Geese in the fields along the way. Obviously this must have been winter, but it has been almost 12 years for me.

 

Right around Baltimore the Gunflint (?) parks had a mix of common woodland species, nothing spectacular that I can recall. Some interesting amphibians though.

 

If you head over to the Skyline Drive in Virginia you will see a nice mix of Appalachian birds including Warblers, Turkeys, Ruffed Grouse, etc.

It's been a long time since I was there, but I recall the bird refuge in the Great Dismal Swamp (which was originally surveyed by George Washington) at certain times of year has a lot of migrating birds. Of course Assateague & Chinquoteague islands have their proponents as well.

Chincoteague Island on the Virginia coast is certainly a good destination for bird and wildlife photography, but it is not exactly inside metro DC. When we lived in New Jersey, we use to visit Cincoteague once or twice a year.

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on MD's Eastern Shore

 

Prime Hook and Bombay Hook Wildlife Refuges on the Delaware coast

 

Cylburn Park in Baltimore

Try Great Falls and Carderock - both sides of the Potomac

also Jug Bay and Merkle on opposite sides of the Patuxent River

Eagles, herons, ducks, osprey, geese, woodland and field birds depending on the season.

 

Carroll Hughes

Susquehanna State Park east of Baltimore has a population of Ospreys you might just catch fishing, and I've seen birders in the area, especially in nearby fields, quite a bit. Saw some Orioles there. Wye Island Natural Resources Management Area on Maryland's Eastern Shore (fairly close to Chesapeake Bay Bridge) has a breeding population of Ospreys, and large open fields that collect lots of birds. Calvert Cliffs State Park has a swamp habitat that might harbor nearby woodpeckers, and has ocean access as well. Assateague Island and Deal Island are supposedly also good birding locations, although I haven't gone birding there. I also saw kingfishers, red-winged blackbirds, and numerous other birds at Flag Ponds Nature Park near Lusby, MD.

 

There is a good list at:

http://www.mdbirds.org/sites/mdbirding.html

Douglas Stemke:

 

Gunpower.

Joshua Szulecki:

 

GunPOWDER.

Sorry, like I said. It's been more than a decade since I lived there. Glad a local could correct me.

Anything in Rock Creek Park? Haven't been there in 20 years, so this is just a thought.

The White House and Capitol Hill are arguably dismal swamps, but the Great Dismal Swamp is a long way from D.C. Rock Creek Park will be no better than any other urban park. Last time I was at Huntley Meadows, the water had disappeared. Has something to do with meddling by mankind, I was told. Try to get to Delaware, Maryland or Virginia shore or Chesapeake Bay if you have time.

<I> By this, I mean sites where one has predictably excellent opportunities bird

photography,</i><P>

 

Do <B>predictably excellent opportunities</b> for photographing birds exist anywhere

outside of a zoo? In my experience you can get skunked (or have great success) in just about

any reasonably 'birdy' spot.

Are there even "predictably excellent opportunities" at the zoo?

 

Bird photography is inherantly unpredictable.

Try heading up or down the Potomac at least 20 miles in either direction from DC and you have semi-decent wildlife. My advice is to head out to the Eastern shore as everyone mention. Chincoteague and Asateague have great birding opportunities. Those are the only locations I can think of that I would consider reliable. The mouth of the Potomac around St. Mary's can be pretty good depending on the time of year as can some of the parts of the Chesapeake.

I live just outside the beltway and have seen many different interesting birds from song birds to flickers, nuthachs, kestrels, hawks etc if Fairfax county. I have seen owls and osprey on the Rappahannock river. I usually don't have my camera with me so I just have to watch. This weekend a hawk lit on our back fence in a townhouse developement. If you go out prepared and have patience any where around here may give results but I don't think its easy or predictable.