Frederick County
Frederick County is in western Maryland, featuring the Appalachian Mountains in the western part of the county and the Piedmont Plateau in the east. Two prominent ridges, Catoctin Mountain and South Mountain, form an extension of the Blue Ridge. The Middletown Valley lies between them. Public lands include the C&O Canal National Historic Park along the Potomac River; Catoctin Mountain Park; Cunningham Falls State Park; and several large state hunting areas. Frederick County has large expanses of agricultural land as well as deep forests in the mountainous areas.
Frederick County has 309+ species reported on eBird. For the county eBird checklist, eBird hotspots, and more, click here.
View a comparison of Maryland counties based on total number of species reported on eBird.
Frederick County is bordered by Pennsylvania to the north; Washington County, MD to the west; Virginia to the southwest; Montgomery County and Howard County, MD to the southeast; and Carroll County, MD, to the east. The Potomac River forms the southern border with Virginia. The county seat is the historic town of Frederick, located in the central part of the county. Other large towns include Thurmont and Emmittsburg in the northern part of the county.
I-68/I-70 is the main east-west corridor through the county, and I-270, slanting from northwest to southeast, connects the city of Frederick to the Washington, DC, area.
A convenient map showing Frederick County parks is available at https://www.recreater.com/DocumentCenter/View/314/Map-of-County-Parks-?bidId=.
The local chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society is the Frederick Bird Club.
Explore birding sites in Frederick County by choosing from the list below.
