At a Glance
Hours: Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, year-round.
Cost: Free.
Tips: The hour before dawn can be good for owls. Birding is generally best at dawn and early morning. ◾ Trails are usually well mowed, but be prepared for ticks. Waterproof boots are advisable for walking through wet grass in the morning,
Best Seasons: Year round. Spring and fall provide excellent opportunities for migrating warblers, thrushes, and raptors.
Breeding Bird Atlas Block: Walkersville SE
Local MOS Chapter: Frederick Bird Club
Fred J. Archibald Audubon Sanctuary
6011 Boyers Mill Rd, New Market, MD 21774
centralmdaudubon@gmail.com
The Fred J. Archibald Audubon Sanctuary is a 140-acre site that is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland. The sanctuary contains a good mix of habitats including mature bottomland hardwood forest; managed warm season grass meadows; several streams; and Eastern Bluebird and Purple Martin nesting boxes. There is a network of maintained trails throughout the sanctuary, and it is small enough to be well-explored in a visit.
Birdlife:
Over 130 species have been reported to eBird from Fred Archibald Sanctuary. In the fall and winter, many species of sparrows can be found in large numbers around the edges of the grassy meadows. Breeding birds include Eastern Bluebird, Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, Indigo Bunting, Wood Thrush, Green Heron, Red-eyed Vireo, Common Yellowthroat, and several sparrow and woodpecker species. During migration, the Fred Archibald Sanctuary is a good site for wood warblers.
Parking:
A small gravel parking area is at the entrance to the sanctuary, just off Boyer’s Mill Road.
Special Features:
Butterflies of several species are abundant in the open fields at Fred Archibald Audubon Sanctuary. ◾ The Audubon Society of Central Maryland offers guided walks at Fred Archibald and other locations; see their events schedule for details. ◾ The local chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society is the Frederick Bird Club, which hosts fields trips and meetings with informative presentations, all free and open to the public.
Directions:
From New Market, MD, go west on MD Route 144/Old National Pike and turn right (north) onto Boyer’s Mill Road. Travel north on Boyer’s Mill Road for 1.1 miles. The entrance to the sanctuary is on the right, marked by a green post and “Audubon” sign at a small gravel parking area. If you reach Finn Drive on the left, you’ve gone too far.
Nearby Sites:
Frederick County: Audrey Carroll Audubon Sanctuary ◾ C&O Canal – Mouth of Monocacy to Brunswick ◾ Catoctin Mountain Park ◾ Cunningham Falls State Park ◾ Gambrill State Park ◾ Lilypons Water Gardens ◾ Seymour B. Cooper MOS Sanctuary ◾ Sugarloaf Mountain
Habitats:
Bottomland Deciduous Hay Meadows, Pasture, Grass FieldOld Fields, Shrubby Meadows Rivers & Streams
Features:
BeginnersFree - No Entry Fee at Any TimeHiking/Walking TrailsNative Plant Garden or Meadow/Pollinator PlantsParkingPicnic AreaYoung People / FamiliesType:
Private Sanctuaries and Preserves