March 22: Patapsco Hotspots & Baltimore Water Taxi

Bring your binoculars to Baltimore for a fun early spring birding field trip 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, March 22 to search for waterfowl, gulls, raptors and songbirds in birding hotspots along the Patapsco River and during an afternoon cruise around the Baltimore Peninsula and Fort McHenry! In the morning, we’ll host one land-based field trip that connects two birding hotspots:

You’ll have time for lunch between 11:30 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

We tallied 56 species during these field trips on March 22, 2025!

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, March 22!

MORNING FIELD TRIP

Patapsco Hotspots: Southwest Area Park + Gwynns Falls Trail South (HIKING/DRIVING)
Time: 8:00 – 11:00 am
Cost: $30/person
Guides: Russ Kovach & Jim Rapp
Meeting Location: meet your guides in the parking lot for the Baltimore Highlands Light Rail Station, located at 4113 Baltimore St., Baltimore, MD 21227. GPS Coordinates: 39.236027, -76.632732

Please note: Free parking lot and/or street parking is available at all sites. If street parking is full on Alluvion and Warner Street near Topgolf (next to the Horseshoe Casino), we may need to park in the parking garage. The cost for parking in the garage should not exceed $5.00.

We’ll begin this field trip with a leisurely ~1.5-mile hike at Southwest Area Park in Brooklyn, MD. The park has a variety of habitats, including open water, wetlands, forests and fields. Following the hike, we’ll then caravan to the Gwynns Falls Trail South, located behind the Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore City just 15 minutes by vehicle from Southwest Area Park. We’ll hike ~1 mile on the paved trail while we search for ducks on the water and songbirds in the open meadows. If time allows, we’ll end this tour at Swann Park, ~10 minutes from the Horseshoe Casino and very close to the Baltimore Peninsula (the site of our afternoon Baltimore Water Taxi cruise departure). The shallow waters near Swann Park provide habitat for waterfowl, gulls and herons.

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
Guides: Russ Kovach & Jim Rapp
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

This trip sold out at 11:00 pm on Mon., March 17. If you wish to add your name to the waitlist, please email dmvbirds@gmail.com with your name and the number in your party. If someone cancels, we may be able to add you.

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 morning hike and afternoon 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!
Hooded Merganser. Photo courtesy of Dr. Frode Jacobsen.

Please note:

  • No cancellations after March 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.