Piney Reservoir

Piney Reservoir

2880 Piney Run Road, Frostburg, MD 21532
(301) 334-8218 customerservice.dnr@maryland.gov

Piney Reservoir (aka Frostburg Reservoir) is a 120-acre manmade freshwater lake that holds a drinking water supply for Frostburg, MD. The reservoir is west of the town of Finzel in northeastern Garrett County and can be reached from Piney Run Road north of US Route 40. Piney Reservoir is an important birding spot in Western Maryland; in fact, it vies with Broadford Lake as the #1 eBird hotspot in Garrett County.

The lake is long and narrow, with the long axis oriented northeast-southwest. An access road along the south shore takes you along the edge of the lake so that you can bird from the car or park at the parking areas along the road and walk along the lake. It will be easy to find a good spot to set up a scope, although the section of lake shore close to Piney Run Road is lined with trees, making scope viewing more difficult.  Of course, the main attraction at Piney Reservoir is the variety of waterfowl in winter, but as you bird the length of the lake, don’t ignore the rich woods around the lake, which attract songbirds throughout the year. There are no trails in these dense woods, so you can only bird from the edge. Near the dam, there is a tree-rimmed wetland at the mouth of a creek on the wooded side of the road; this quiet spot may hold a heron or two and also attracts songbirds. The rocky dam should be checked for swallows in the warm months.

The deepest part of the lake is 35 feet deep; the upper end, away from the dam, is shallow and filled with aquatic vegetation during the summer, providing habitat for wading birds. Near the lower portion, standing snags in the deeper water provides a different habitat.

No boats are allowed on Piney Reservoir, but the reservoir is open to fishing or birding from the shore. The reservoir is also a popular spot for picnicking families. Although the reservoir is owned by the City of Frostburg, fishing access is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Public access is allowed along its entire shoreline. A handicapped-access fishing platform was recently installed along the shoreline.

Birdlife:

With an eBird list of more than 225 species at the Piney Reservoir hotspot, the lake is a great spot not only for waterfowl (33 species) but also for a diversity of other species.

Pie-billed and Horned Grebes are regular in spring and fall; Common Loons are around throughout spring and one or two may be present any time later in the year. Double-crested Cormorants are plentiful from February through November.

Wild Turkeys and Ruffed Grouse are in the woods, and there may be occasional sightings of Ring-necked Pheasants (may be escapes from local game farms) in fall or winter. Both Yellow-billed and Black-billed Cuckoos breed in the forest.

The shallow end of the lake, or the edges, may yield a Virginia Rail or Sora. American Coots come in during fall and spring. Be alert for flyover Sandhill Cranes or, even more exciting, one or two in the wetlands around the reservoir. There might be a smattering of shorebirds, especially if water levels fall in summer. These would include Killdeers (breeding) and Semipalmated Plovers, which are annual in late summer. American Woodcocks are only occasional, but Wilson’s Snipe are regular visitors over long periods in spring and fall. Other regularly occurring shorebirds are Spotted Sandpipers, Solitary Sandpipers, Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs, Least, Pectoral, and Semipalmated Sandpipers, mot of which are present during the northbound spring migration and again in the southbound “fall” migration, which starts in July.

Piney Reservoir is one of the few places in Western Maryland where gulls are almost regular, but only Bonaparte’s (mostly spring, some in fall); Ring-billed (mostly later winter/spring); and American Herring (March-April). Terns are a possibility: look for Caspian, Forster’s, and Common, and maybe a stray Black, any time from April through September.

Waders are Little Blue Heron , found during juvenile dispersal in late summer, and Green Heron, Great Egret, and Great Blue Heron, which are easy to find in the warm months.

Don’t expect many Black Vultures, but Turkey Vultures are commonly seen. For expected raptors: Ospreys and Bald Eagles breed here or nearby; eagles are present year-round. Sharp-shinned Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, and Northern Harriers, come through over a long period in both spring and fall. Red-tailed Hawks are here found year-round, Red-shouldered Hawks nearly so, but might be scarce in January. Broad-wingeds breed locally and are present in the area from April through early October. Barred Owls are the most frequently observed of the owls, but Eastern Screech and Great Horned do occur. American Kestrels are present during spring and fall migration, and more numerous in the fall. Merlins are primarily fall migrants.

Belted Kingfishers are loudly apparent at any time of year. The breeding woodpeckers are Red-bellied, Downy, Hairy, Pileated, and Northern Flicker. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers come through during fall and spring migration; Red-headed Woodpeckers can rarely be seen in the fall.

Breeding flycatchers are Eastern Wood-Pewee, Acadian, Alder (low numbers), Willow, Least, Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested, and Eastern Kingbird. For people who live in the rest of the state, it is a real treat to see breeding Least Flycatchers, a western Maryland specialty. There may also be migrating Olive-sided (fall) and Yellow-bellied (rare in fall). The vireos are White-eyed (scarce and sporadic), Yellow-throated, Blue-headed, and Red-eyed; the latter three species are present in numbers in spring and summer.

Typical woodland birds such as Blue Jays, American Crows, (no Fish Crows), Black-capped Chickadees (no Carolina Chickadees), and Tufted Titmice are always around.

Chimney Swifts and swallows (Bank, Tree, Northern Rough-winged, Barn, Cliff, and Purple Martins) are present in the warm months.

Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets are found mostly in fall and spring, but the Goldens might persist into winter. White-breasted Nuthatches are year-round; Red-breasted are sporadic in fall and spring. Brown Creepers might be here any time from February through December, but somewhat less likely in summer. Blue-gray Gnatcatchers are in place in April, May, and June.

The four species of wrens have different timelines: Northern House Wren – April through October; Winter Wren – sporadic throughout the year; Marsh Wren – fall and spring; Carolina Wren – almost year-round, absent only in January. European Starlings are always obvious. Gray Catbirds, Brown Thrashers, and Northern Mockingbirds occur in the warm months, but the mockingbirds are more scarce than the catbirds or thrashers.

Thrushes include Eastern Bluebird (year-round), Veery (mostly May-June), Hermit (mostly April-November), Wood (May-August or later), and American Robin (February-November). Cedar Waxwings are easy to find from May through August, then stragglers through December.

House Sparrows are present most of the year. American Pipits appear to be regular in spring and fall. House Finches are here in low numbers most of the time. Purple Finches and Pine Siskins are sporadic throughout the year. American Goldfinches are local breeders and numerous from March through December.

We have 14 species of sparrows, with varying timelines: year-round, or almost so – Song, Swamp, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated; spring through fall (breeding) – Grasshopper, Chipping, Field, Vesper (scarce, sporadic), Savannah, Eastern Towhee; fall and spring migration – Fox, White-crowned, Lincoln’s (mostly fall); and winter – American Tree.

Yellow-breasted Chats show up from time to time, in the shrubby areas around the lake. Blackbirds include Bobolinks, Eastern Meadowlarks, Orchard Orioles, Baltimore Orioles, Red-wingeds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Rusty Blackbirds, and Common Grackles. Most of these species breed locally and are present from early spring through fall or into winter; the Red-wingeds are almost year-round and the Rusties are only spring and fall.

Then we have the warblers, 30 species in all, an assortment that includes almost all the regular warblers in Maryland. Many of them breed locally. Listen for their songs and chip notes when walking near the woods.

Scarlet Tanagers, Northern Cardinals, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Indigo Buntings all are present for breeding season.

Wheelchair Access:

Because the paved access road runs the length of the reservoir, this is a great place for those who are mobility-impaired, because it is possible to bird from or near the car. There is also a handicapped-accessible fishing platform that provides a good view of the water. No restrooms.

Pet Policy:

Pets are allowed on leash; pick up after your pet. Pets are not allowed in the water. Neither are humans (no swimming).

Parking:

Park in any of the pull-offs on the left as you drive in. Park well off the main road.

Local MOS Chapter:

The local chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society is the Allegany & Garrett Counties Bird Club, which hosts field trips in the region and meetings with informative presentations, all free and open to the public.

Directions:

From I-68, take the Finzel Exit for MD Route 546 North and take an immediate left; proceed 0.25 miles to a stop sign at US Route 40. Drive straight across US Route 40 onto Piney Run Road; continue about 2.5 miles to the reservoir. Turn left onto the access road along the lake (labelled Grantsville Road on Google Maps) and park in designated areas.

Nearby Sites:

Garrett County: Broadford Lake ■ Carey Run MOS Sanctuary ■ Caroline W. Wilson MOS Sanctuary ■ Cunningham Swamp Wildlife Management Area ■ Finzel Swamp Preserve ■ Herrington Manor State Park ■ Loch Lynn Heights Wetland Trail ■ Mt. Nebo Wildlife Management Area  ■ Robbins MOS Sanctuary at Red Run ■  Swallow Falls State Park ■ Youghiogheny River Reservoir

Habitats:

Bottomland Deciduous ForestsConifersHedgerowsUpland Deciduous Forests Lawn, Ballfields, Golf Course Old Fields, Shrubby Meadows Freshwater Marsh or FloodplainFreshwater Pond, Lake, or ReservoirMud Flats (Tidal or Non-Tidal)Rivers & Streams

Features:

BeginnersBirding By CarFishingFree - No Entry Fee at Any TimeParkingPets AllowedWater ViewWheelchair Accessible FeaturesYoung People / Families

Type:

Driving Tour (Roadside Birding)Ponds, Lakes, and Reservoirs