Perryville Community Park

Perryville Community Park

100 Marion Tapp Parkway, Perryville, Maryland 21903
(410) 642-6068

In real estate, they say “Location, location, location,” and Perryville Community Park certainly has a prime location for birding. The 168.5-acre park is located on the Perry Point peninsula at the top of the Chesapeake Bay, in the historic town of Perryville in Cecil County. The park has an unparalleled view of the water. Stump Point is the eastward-facing tip of the peninsula, overlooking the confluence between Mill Creek, Furnace Bay, and the Northeast River. To the west lies the mouth of the Susquehanna River. The area south of the park, where the waters from these sources mingle to form the top of the Chesapeake Bay, is called the Susquehanna Flats, and the shallow water here presents a rich feeding ground for waterfowl, loons, grebes, terns, and gulls, as well as Bald Eagles, Ospreys, herons, and egrets.

The northern section of the park, which is traversed by the park’s entrance road, consists mostly of hardwood forest. There are several small pull-offs on the entrance drive, where one may park the car to scope the waters of Mill Creek and Furnace Bay to the north and east, as well as to check the wooded areas. There are no real trails here, but it is possible to bushwhack through the woods down to the shoreline of Mill Creek, easily visible through the narrow band of trees. The park’s wooded areas and tree-lined shores are a magnet for land-birds, particularly during migration.

Once you arrive at the main part of the park at the tip of the peninsular, you’ll see a broad open area containing ball fields with a few scattered trees, surrounded by a tree-lined shoreline with cliffs overlooking the Bay. Even the open areas near the ball fields host a surprising number of passerines; the  single trees in the middle of the open area sometimes attract huge numbers of swallows during migration, so don’t overlook them.  Also check the large old River Birches near the gate to the Veterans Administration grounds; these trees are a favorite of Brown Creepers.

There is a soft canoe/kayak launch (bring your own) on the eastern shore of the park, providing access to the calm waters of Mill Creek and Furnace Bay.

Perryville Community Park shares the Perry Point peninsula with the Perry Point Veterans Administration Medical Center, and in fact the park land was previously part of the VA Medical Center. A Loop Trail encircles the entire Community Park and VA Medical Center, enabling the birder to sample all the habitats in the park on foot or bicycle; see the park map at the link at left for the route of the Loop Trail, which is approximately 3.5 miles long. Note that you must carry a government-issued ID card (e.g., a driver’s license) to use the section of the trail that goes through the VA Medical Center; see the town’s website for description of this and other trails.

The Loop Trail connects to the paved Canning House Run Trail at the northwest corner of the VA Medical Center. The Canning House Run Trail goes north for just under a mile along the shore of the Susquehanna, from historic Rodgers Tavern (it’s a museum, not a restaurant) to the Perryville Community Boat Ramp just north of the bridge that carries US Route 40 over the Susquehanna. This pleasant walk provides excellent views of the waters of the river and is a good spot to check for waterfowl, gulls, and terns. A small marsh behind Rodgers Tavern is usually filled with birds; the town’s Ferry Point Park and Pier (aka Perryville Town Dock) provides an excellent overlook over the marsh and river. See our park map at the link in the orange box on this webpage for to see these trails and other areas in relation to the Community Park.

Birdlife:

The eBird hotspot for Perryville Community Park lists 217+ species. There is a separate eBird hotspot with 164+ species at the Perryville Town Dock (the proper, official name is the Ferry Point Park and Pier) behind Rodger’s Tavern a short distance away.

At Perryville Community Park,  spring and fall provide good viewing of migrating passerines, including a variety of warblers, vireos, flycatchers, tanagers, and orioles. Migrating swallows are abundant in late summer.

Perryville Community Park is famous for its winter waterfowl, arguably being the best place on the Upper Bay to view waterfowl. A total of 31 waterfowl species have been reported; these can be found in Mill Creek and Furnace Bay during the winter, as long as the water is ice free.  A particularly good area to check with a scope is the rip line at the mouth of Mill Creek, where its waters mix with water from the much larger Furnace Bay to the northeast. There is usually a line of waterfowl feeding along that rip line. Also check the open waters of the Susquehanna Flats, south of the park, for diving and sea ducks, including Red-breasted Mergansers, scoters, Long-tailed Ducks, and scaup. Grebes and loons are also usually present during the winter. Brown Creepers are usually relatively easy to find  rom September through April in the huge River Birches that line the shoreline at the southwest end of the park, adjacent to the VA Medical Center grounds.

Summer nesting birds include both Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, and a wide variety of other passerine species, including flycatchers, vireos, warblers, and sparrows. Woodpeckers are abundant. The late summer sees an influx of terns, including Black Terns, which can usually be found feeding far out on the Susquehanna Flats (spotting scope needed).

Bald Eagles are present year round and several nests can be viewed with a spotting scope from the park. Ospreys are abundant during the warm months.

Wheelchair Access:

Because most of Perryville Community Park can be birded from or near the car, it is an excellent spot for those who are mobility-impaired. Handicapped accessible restroom available seasonally, near the ball fields

Pet Policy:

Pets must be on a leash at all times; pick up after your pet and take the bagged waste with you when you leave.

Special Features:

• A fishing pier is located off the cliffs at the south end of the park; a valid fishing license is required.
• A free (no license needed) fishing area is located on the Susquehanna River at nearby Ice House Park, reachable on foot/bicycle via the Canning House Run Trail or by car via Roundhouse Road.
• As mentioned above, a soft launch for kayaks and canoes is located on the eastern shoreline of the park, and the birding from the water is excellent. Just be aware of the tides and possible strong currents, as well as heavy boat traffic.
• The park also has ball fields and a children’s play area, and so makes a good destination for families with young children.
• The park is very popular with local residents for walking on the paved loop trail, and for dog-walking and such.

Local MOS Chapter:

The local chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society is the Cecil Bird Club, offering field trips and occasional meetings and special events, all free and open to the public.

Parking:

Several pull-offs along the park entrance road; also several paved lots in the ball-field area at the point and near the soft launch for canoes/kayaks. Do not park on the grass or in other spots that are signed “No Parking.”

Directions:

From I-95: take Exit 93 for MD Route 222 (Perryville Road, aka Perrylawn Drive) south for about 3.0 miles into the town of Perryville. In Perryville, turn left (east) at the T-intersection onto MD Route 7/Broad Street. Go 0.4 miles and then turn right (south) onto MD Route 327/Ikea Way. Go just 0.2 miles, crossing an overpass over the railroad, to Marion Tapp Parkway, on your right immediately after the bridge. Turn right to go through the gate onto Marion Tapp Parkway, which is the entrance road for Perryville Community Park.

The park entrance road goes through woods for just under a mile before emerging at the open area containing the ball fields. Along the way, there are pull-offs on the left to allow you to look out (when trees are not in leaf) toward Mill Creek, and then, farther on, you can look out over the mouth of Mill Creek and Furnace Bay. Stop often to look and listen for birds. Upon entering the open area near the ball fields, follow directional signs to bear right at a fork. The will enable you to drive in a counter-clockwise direction around the point area. Stop at any likely spots to observe birds on the land or water. Be sure not to park on the grass or in spots signed “No Parking.”

Nearby Sites:

Cecil County: Bethel Managed Hunting Area ■ Bohemia River State Park  ■ Courthouse Point Managed Hunting Area ■  Elk Neck State Forest ■ Elk Neck State Park – Turkey Point ■ Elk River Park & Elkton Marsh ■ Elkton – Meadow Park, Eder Park, Hatchery Park, & Howard’s Pond  ■ Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area ■ Funk’s Pond Recreation Area & Old Conowingo Area ■ North East Community Park ■ Octoraro Creek Trail at Conowingo Park ■ Port Deposit & Susquehanna River Road Driving Tour ■ Woodlawn Wildlife Area / New Beginnings

Habitats:

Bottomland Deciduous ForestsHedgerowsUpland Deciduous Forests Garden or ArboretumLawn, Ballfields, Golf CourseUrban or Small Town Landscape Forested SwampFreshwater Marsh or FloodplainMud Flats (Tidal or Non-Tidal)Open Ocean, Bay, or EstuaryRivers & Streams

Features:

Ball Fields or Other SportsBeginnersBicycle Trails (Bikes may be prohibited on some trails)Birding By CarBoat or Canoe/Kayak LaunchFishingFree - No Entry Fee at Any TimeHiking/Walking TrailsHuntingObservation Platform or TowerParkingPets AllowedPicnic AreaPlaygroundRestroomsWater ViewWheelchair Accessible FeaturesYoung People / Families

Type:

Chesapeake Bay Eastern ShoreCommunity and Urban ParksDriving Tour (Roadside Birding)Hiker-Biker Trails (Paved)The Rivers of the Eastern Shore