Birding by Boat around the Baltimore Peninsula

Bring your binoculars for a birding boat tour with the Baltimore Water Taxi!

Ahoy, birders! Join us for these afternoon birding boat trips aboard a private charter with the Baltimore Water Taxi. We’ll cruise the Patapsco River and Inner Harbor to search for waterfowl, gulls, raptors and more! We had a wonderful time on these cruises in 2024.

February, March and April are great months for Baltimore birding. Your guides will help you locate and identify the birds as we ply the waters of the Patapsco. Check out these eBird checklists from last year’s tours to review the species we tallied:

We will also produce eBird checklists for our 2025 tours, and these will be shared with all participants.

Ruddy Duck, Bald Eagle and Horned Grebe. Photos courtesy of Dr. Frode Jacobsen.

Our private charter with the water taxi will depart from the Port Covington Marina. We’ll cruise around the Baltimore Peninsula and Fort McHenry while enjoying scenic views of the city skyline and scanning the Baltimore waterfront for birds.

Please scroll down this page for more information about tour dates and times, registration, meeting location, and nearby lunch/dinner options. We look forward to birding by boat around the Baltimore Peninsula with you!

2025 Tour Dates and Times

Date: Saturday, February 22
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm (please arrive early to park and arrive at the dock on time; scroll down for parking and meeting info)
Cost: $45/person
Guides: Nico Sarbanes, Peter Martin and Jim Rapp

Registration is open for February 22. We are also hosting two land-based field trips from 8:00 – 11:00 am that morning. If you are interested in registering for the morning field trips, too, please click here.

You can register for the February 22 cruise using this secure PayPal link. You do not need a PayPal account to register; credit cards are accepted:

Date: Saturday, March 22
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm (please arrive early to park and arrive at the dock on time; scroll down for parking and meeting info)
Cost: $45/person
Guides: Russ Kovach and Jim Rapp

Registration is open for March 22. You can register for the cruise using this secure PayPal link. You do not need a PayPal account to register; credit cards are accepted:

Date: Saturday, April 12
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 pm (please arrive early to park and arrive at the dock on time; scroll down for parking and meeting info)
Cost: $45/person
Guides: Jim Rapp & Guide TBD

Registration is open for April 12. You can register for the cruise using this secure PayPal link. You do not need a PayPal account to register; credit cards are accepted:

Meeting Location and Parking

  • Meeting Location: the Port Covington Marina, located at 321 E Cromwell St, Baltimore, MD 21230. Meet at the dock for the Baltimore Water Taxi.
  • GPS Coordinates for the dock: 39.264381, -76.604892
  • Parking: There is metered parking on nearby streets for $2/hour. The 250 Mission Garage is a 6-minute walk from the boat dock, and parking there will be ~$12.00 for four hours. Click here to reserve your parking space in the 250 Mission Garage.

Before and after your 2:00 – 3:30 pm birding cruise, visit the Baltimore Peninsula for lunch or a Sagamore Spirit Distillery tour!

Google Map of meeting locations and the estimated cruise route

Some common sense approaches to make your birding trips more enjoyable:

  • Wear appropriate clothing and shoes for winter and early spring weather near the water.
  • Although the Water Taxi is covered, bring rain gear as this trip will run rain or shine.
  • Arrive with enough time to park and arrive at the dock at least 15 minutes before the trip departs so that we can check you in.
  • Use the restroom before the boat departs. There is no head on the water taxi.
  • Bring your own binoculars. Loaner optics are not available.
  • Small coolers with snacks, wine and/or beer are welcome!

Please note:

  • Cancellations are accepted up to two weeks before the trip departs, but not after. For a further explanation of our refund policy, please click here.
  • Trips will go in the rain or fog, unless torrential downpours prevent us from viewing wildlife.
  • If the trip is canceled due to dangerous conditions (typically storms or strong, gusting winds), we will notify you as soon as possible via email. Please note that the email will be sent to all participants BCC, so you may need to check your email spam folder. A full refund will be provided within 15 days.
  • eBird checklists for all tours will be shared with participants.