Birding at Susquehanna State Park, Maryland

Image from the National Park Service's page.

Near the end of the Susquehanna River, just north of downtown Havre de Grace, Maryland, lies Susquehanna State Park, 2,639 acres of varied habitat. That variety, together with the way the river funnels migrating birds, makes it an excellent place for birding, with something for beginners and for experienced birders hunting a rarity.

Getting started

A pair of binoculars and a field guide are all a beginner needs. Binoculars are sold at most sporting goods stores and online, and most bookstores carry at least one field guide. The park can be birded any time of year, but migration is best in early to mid-May and early to mid-September.

Where to look

Around the Rock Run Gristmill. At one of the main parking lots, near the historic gristmill, the area around the lot holds many warblers and other songbirds at peak migration, including Baltimore orioles, northern parulas and eastern phoebes.

At the river's edge. A short 30-foot walk to the water often turns up yellow and prothonotary warblers darting through the brush along the bank. On and above the river look for blue herons, bald eagles, ospreys, Caspian terns and, at peak migration, sometimes hundreds of double-crested cormorants.

North along the old rail line. From the river, birders can follow the partly eroded railroad tracks north, or go back to Stafford Road and take the paved path that runs beside them. Both routes can produce waterthrushes, flycatchers, blackpoll warblers, black-and-white warblers and possibly the vivid cerulean warbler, which is bright blue and sings a rising zee zee zee zi zi zi zeet from high in the trees.

With more than 15 miles of trails, the park can keep a birder busy for hours.

Sources

• National Park Service, Chesapeake Bay, "Birding at Susquehanna State Park" (an abridged article). https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/birding-at-susquehanna-state-park.htm
• The source's "prothonatary" and "water thrush" are corrected here to prothonotary and waterthrush.