Text introduction for open habitats for birding.
Agricultural Crop Fields or Fallow Fields
Hay Meadow, Pasture, Grass Field
American Chestnut Land Trust – Parkers Creek Preserve
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Swallow Falls State Park
Swallow Falls State Park is located in the mountains nine miles north of Oakland, Maryland and contains some of Maryland's most picturesque scenery. The park features three of Maryland’s most spectacular waterfalls along a 1 ¼-mile trail through old-growth hemlock forest - the last large hemlock forest in the State. The Youghiogheny River and several of its tributaries converge in the park. At nearly 60 feet tall, Muddy Creek Falls, a highlight on the park’s main trail, is Maryland’s tallest free-falling waterfall. The park's rivers and streams pass through shaded rocky gorges and feature rippling rapids and white water. With 257 acres, the park is compact enough to allow thorough birding coverage, but be aware that some of the trails are hilly and can be muddy and slippery after rain. The park also features camping, fishing, and picnic areas. The trails at Swallow Falls weave through a 40-acre grove of old-growth hemlocks. Managed as a sensitive area, the dense woodlands in the park provide ample cover for forest interior birds like Blue-headed Vireos, Hermit and Wood Thrushes and various warblers. Because of the parks's habitats and location in the mountains, the breeding birds at Swallow Falls include many that are known only as winter visitors or migrants in other parts of the state. The list of breeding warblers is especially impressive (see below). In addition to birding on foot using the park's trails, it is also possible to bird by car from Maple Glade Road, which runs through the park. Broad shoulders allow for quick pull-overs on this little-traveled road.
Old Fields, Shrubby Meadow
American Chestnut Land Trust – Parkers Creek Preserve
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Sandy Beach or Dunes
Greenbrier State Park
Greenbrier State Park is a 1,407-acre multi-use facility located along the South Mountain ridge in the Appalachian Mountains. Most of the park lies in Washington County, but about 45 acres are in Frederick County. The centerpiece of Greenbrier State Park is its 42-acre man-made lake, stocked for fishing, and of course, the lake also offers habitat for birds. The park features a network of trails that loop through the forests on the side of the ridge. The area was extensively logged before it became a state park in the 1960s, so the woodlands are primarily second growth. There are more than 11 miles of trails. The trails are well-marked but can be rocky and hilly; most are considered moderate to strenuous. The Appalachian Trail passes through the eastern edge of the park, and the park’s trails connect to it. The surrounding lands feature a rolling topography and include crop fields, abandoned farm fields, and pastures. Greenbrier State Park has extensive visitor amenities and activities, including tent and RV camping, boat launch, boat rental, camp store, flat water canoeing, picnic area, playground, swimming, mountain biking, and hunting. There is a year-round Visitor Center and a seasonal Nature Center.
