Feb. 22: Winter Baltimore Birding Weekend

Bring your binoculars to Baltimore for fun winter birding field trips and a cruise on the Patapsco River!

Horned Grebe, Cooper’s Hawk and Redhead. Photos courtesy of Dr. Frode Jacobsen.

Join our Baltimore Birding Weekend guides on Saturday, February 22 to search for winter waterfowl, gulls, raptors and songbirds in our parks, reservoirs and on the Patapsco River! In the morning, we’ll host two concurrent field trips:

You’ll have time for lunch between 11:00 am – 1:30 pm, and then we’ll meet at the Port Covington Marina for an afternoon cruise with the Baltimore Water Taxi:

  • 2:00 – 3:30 pm: Birding by Boat around the Baltimore Peninsula

Scroll down for field trip descriptions and registration information. You can register for your field trips using the secure PayPal links below. You do not need a PayPal account to register; credit cards are accepted.

We hope you’ll join us for winter birding in Baltimore on Saturday, February 22!

MORNING FIELD TRIPS

Druid Hill Park & Hanlon Park (HIKING/DRIVING)
Time: 8:00 – 11:00 am
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location for Druid Hill Park: Park along East Drive in Druid Hill Park near the reservoir, just before the tennis courts. Meet your guides on the path next to the reservoir. GPS Coordinates: 39.319543, -76.634923
Meeting Location for Hanlon Park: Park along Powhatan Avenue near Lake Ashburton. Meet your guides on the hill near the corner of Powhatan Avenue and N. Hilton Street. GPS Coordinates: 39.320093, -76.672666

We’ll begin this field trip at the reservoir in Druid Hill Park, where we’ll scan the open water for ducks, grebes and gulls. Target species include Hooded Merganser and Pied-billed Grebe. We will also explore the nearby open lawns and forest edges for woodpeckers, kinglets and sparrows. We’ll then drive 10 minutes to Hanlon Park. Here, we’ll scope Lake Ashburton for waterfowl such as Redhead, Ring-necked Duck and Ruddy Duck. This trip will feature up to 2.5 miles of hiking on slightly hilly park paths.

Hooded Merganser. Photo courtesy of Dr. Frode Jacobsen.

Herring Run Park & Lake Montebello (HIKING)
Time: 8:00 – 11:00 am
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location: Park along Chesterfield Avenue near the St. Francis of Assisi School, located at 3617 Harford Rd, Baltimore, MD 21218. Meet your guides on the Herring Run Trail at the corner of Chesterfield Avenue and Harford Road. GPS Coordinates: 39.320093, -76.672666

After meeting your guides at the corner of Chesterfield Avenue and Harford Road, we’ll walk a short distance to Lake Montebello. We’ll scope the lake for ducks and gulls. We’ll then hike the trails at Herring Run Park, a 375-acre forested treasure in the middle of Baltimore City. The park is the site of an archaeology project that’s been running since 2014. The woodlands that border the Herring Run stream valley provide winter habitat for woodpeckers, kinglets and sparrows. Common Ravens are sometimes seen or heard flying over. This trip will feature up to 2.5 miles of hiking on slightly hilly park paths.

Golden-crowned Kinglet. Photo courtesy of Dr. Frode Jacobsen.

AFTERNOON CRUISE

Birding by Boat around the Baltimore Peninsula (BOATING)
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
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

Ahoy, birders! Join us for an afternoon birding boat trip aboard a private charter with the Baltimore Water Taxi. 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, including waterfowl, gulls, raptors and more! Your guides will help you locate and identify the species as we ply the waters of the Patapsco.

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.

Birders on the Baltimore Water Taxi

Google Map of field trip locations and the estimated cruise route

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

  • Wear appropriate clothing and shoes for winter weather in Baltimore.
  • Bring rain gear, as field trips will run rain or shine.
  • Arrive with enough time to park and arrive at your field trip meeting location at least 15 minutes before the trip departs.
  • Use a restroom before the field trip departs. Restrooms may not be readily available at the field trip locations.
  • Bring your own binoculars. Loaner optics are not available.
  • Small coolers with snacks, wine and/or beer are welcome on the water taxi!

Please note:

  • No cancellations after February 7, 2025. 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.