Havre de Grace: City Marina, Tydings Memorial Park, and More

Havre De Grace: City Marina, Tydings Memorial Park, and More

352 Commerce Street, Havre de Grace, MD 21078
Other Locations Below
(410) 939-1800

The picturesque and historic town of Havre de Grace is located in eastern Harford County at the junction of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay. The name of the town is pronounced locally as “have-er-duh-grace,” sometimes with a long “a” in grace, just like the girl’s name, or sometimes like “grass.” The charming town has a number of public parks along the waterfront, as well as birding opportunities along the quiet residential streets. Havre de Grace has been designated a Bird City town, part of the national Bird City Network, and more information, including upcoming bird walks, can be found on the town’s page on the Bird City Maryland website.

City Marina and the Millard Tydings Memorial Park (352 Commerce Street)

It’s all about the water: the City Marina and the Millard Tydings Memorial Park are strategically located at the mouth of the Susquehanna, and provide birders with access to the river and bay waterfront. The 22-acre park complex includes the City Marina and a ¾-mile wooden promenade (most people would call it a boardwalk) that encircles Concord Point, the point of land between the river and the bay. In addition to views of the open bay waters, there are also tree-lined walkways, bayside grassy areas, and exposed mudflats at low tide. The brick and wooden promenade provides an outstanding overlook to the open waters of the river and bay, while the mudflats are best viewed from the west end of the Marina. The largest area of mudflats lies to the west of Tydings Island (called Park Island on some maps), which is located directly offshore south of the marina. The marina area is wheelchair accessible. As an added bonus, the recent construction of a living shoreline at Concord Point has boosted habitat for birds and other wildlife.

The small Tydings Memorial Park includes picnic tables and grills, a playground, tennis courts, and a gazebo. The park hosts numerous special events throughout the year; check the schedule before you go if you want to avoid crowds, or conversely, if you want to join in.

The promenade provides access to additional attractions such as the historic Concord Point Lighthouse, the lighthouse keeper’s house, the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum, and the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum. The Decoy Museum especially is worth a visit, for its extensive displays of traditional waterfowl decoys used on the Bay, along with exhibits that document the duck-hunting tradition on the Chesapeake.

There are plenty of additional habitats and spots for birders to explore around town.

North Park (811 North Adams Street) and Lock House Museum (817 Conesteo Street)

North Park (aka McLhinney Park) is located at the north end of town and includes the grounds of the Lock House Museum, which showcases the history of the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal. The Canal ran along the shore of the river for 43 miles, from Pennsylvania to Havre de Grace, and was an important commercial transportation link in its heyday. The park and museum area includes open lawns, pollinator gardens, and forest. Interpretive signs provide information about the history of the former canal system, and a section of canal still remains. From here, trails extend into the forested floodplain of the Susquehanna River. Thick vegetation in the floodplain provides excellent habitat for migrating and nesting warblers and other songbirds. Summer Tanagers, Worm-eating Warblers, Baltimore Orioles and Winter Wrens can be seen along the Joe K Trail, depending on the season of your visit. The Joe K Trail loops along the river front and along an old railroad bed, and can be muddy at times, so be prepared with appropriate footwear. City crews and volunteers actively maintain the trails but after king tides and storm tides, the trail can be not only wet, but also littered with woody debris washed down the river. A small woodland pond is located along the Joe K Trail, providing great habitat for Wood Ducks, and spring-fed pools along the railroad bed host a variety of amphibians each spring. Over 150 species of birds have been reported at North Park. The park is free but there is a small admission charge for the museum.

Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park (509 Otsego Street) and David R. Craig Park (599 North Union Avenue)

Living shorelines have been constructed along undeveloped sections of the waterfront in Havre de Grace, now extending along much of the Water Street waterfront and under the Amtrak bridge. Here, the tiny Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park and its companion, David R. Craig Park, flank the railroad bridge, providing access to the waterfront. The living shoreline features include retrofitted bioretention facilities and native plantings that not only improve water quality, but also provide habitat for birds and other wildlife.  David Craig Park, on the south side of the railroad bridge, has an observation platform that treats birders to excellent view of the water. There are also a couple of short pathways through the newly created habitat, with strategically placed benches. At Jean S. Roberts Park on the north side of the railroad bridge, there are more plantings and created wetlands, and a soft launch for kayaks and canoes. At both spots, you can expect open water birds like Double-crested Cormorants, Belted Kingfishers, and various waterfowl species as well as warblers and other songbirds moving along the shore. Swamp and Song Sparrows frequent these living shorelines, as do Common Yellowthroats and Yellow Warblers. Herring, Laughing and Great Black-backed Gulls are also common. Both parks are free to enter and there is free parking. A portable restroom is at Jean S. Roberts Park.

Frank J. Hutchins Memorial Park (100 Congress Avenue)

Another tiny waterfront park, Frank J. Hutchins Memorial Park has a fishing platform providing a good view of the water, and theres’s convenient free parking and restrooms right at the park.

Other Spots around Town

Birding opportunities don’t stop at the edge of the water. Mature street trees and landscaped yards create habitat throughout town. A sharp eye may find a rarity anywhere. A Black-throated Gray Warbler was at Tydings Memorial Park in the winter of 2016-2017, and possibly the same bird was found in a backyard in town in spring of 2018. Birders have continued to monitor that backyard (visible from a side street) and over 60 species have been reported at that stakeout location. Similarly, a Eurasian Collared-Dove showed up in a residential area in 2024 and as of 2025 is still present. Chimney Swifts are common in town throughout the summer; the swifts benefit from the chimneys on the many historic  houses around town. A large swift roost is present at the American Legion (501 St John Street, just south of David Craig Park) and smaller roosts are present in other areas. Purple Martins and Barn, Tree, and Northern Rough-winged Swallows are also common throughout the town and you can hear their twittering throughout the warm months.

See the town’s interactive map of city parks for more birding possibilities, and maybe some lunch or dinner stops, too. Also see the town’s brochure, Birds of Havre de Grace, which includes a town map showing birding spots.

Birdlife:

There are seven eBird hotspots in Havre de Grace, with a combined total of 236+ species in the town:

• Tydings Memorial Park, Havre de Grace – 213+ species
• David R. Craig Park – 86+ species
• North Park (includes Joe K Trail) – 162+ species
• Frank J. Hutchins Memorial Park – 21+ species (this is a new hotspot as of summer 2025, with only a handful of checklists so far)
• Tidewater Marina, Havre de Grace – 96+ species (this is a private marina at a different location than the public marina at Tydings Memorial Park below; seek permission to bird here).
• Stakeout Black-throated Gray Warbler, Havre de Grace (2018) – 66+ species (this is a residential backyard, viewable from a side street; do not enter the fenced area).
• Stakeout Eurasian Collared-Dove, Havre de Grace (2024-2025) – 44+ species

Havre de Grace is famous for waterfowl in winter and shorebirds in migration. There is also outstanding opportunity for an assortment of terns (spring through late summer) and gulls (mostly in winter and during migration). Hurricanes can produce interesting sightings in town, with a Parasitic Jaeger having been reported following a hurricane in the summer of 2024.

Just about every swan, goose, and duck that occurs in Maryland, with the exception of some of the true sea-going specialties, has shown up at Havre de Grace – some 29 species of waterfowl. Other waterbirds reported include loons, grebes, cormorants, and coots. A variety of herons and egrets occur in the warm months. Ospreys are numerous in the spring and summer, and Bald Eagles are present year-round. Tydings Memorial Park and the City Marina offer good viewing for hawks in migration – raptors tend to hesitate to cross the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay, and so afford good looks as they linger.

The shorebird variety is outstanding, with 25 species reported, including harder-to-find species such as phalaropes, Buff-breasted, and White-rumped Sandpipers. Winter gulls regularly include Bonaparte’s, with an occasional Little Gull or Black-headed Gull. Laughing Gulls are present in summer, and Franklin’s sometimes occurs during fall migration. Terns normally seen in the summer include Least, Caspian, Royal, Common, and Forster’s, and migrating Black Terns may come through in late summer. Swallows are also prevalent in the warm months, and Cliff, Barn, Bank, Tree, Northern Rough-winged and Purple Martin are all easily seen.

Despite the small size of the land area in the Tydings Memorial Park, a surprisingly long list of land birds has been seen.

Chimney Swifts are common all around town in spring and summer. Red-breasted Nuthatches can often be found during the winter. Regular summer flycatchers include Great Crested Flycatcher and Eastern Kingbird. Cedar Waxwings are common, almost year-round, supported by the abundance of shrubs with berries in the parks and adjoining residential areas. Both orioles are typically present in the summer. Summer Tanagers and Worm-eating Warblers have been reported in North Park in recent summers as well.

Common Yellowthroat and Yellow Warbler are local breeders and are present throughout the summer, while overwintering Yellow-rumped Warblers can be found frequenting forest and brushy edges. The City also is famous for having hosted a Black-throated Gray Warbler, a western species, during the winter of 2016-17 and the spring of 2018.

Special Designations:

• Several sites in Havre de Grace are part of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network of the National Park Service.
• Havre de Grace has been designated a Bird City town, part of the national Bird City Network, and more information, including upcoming bird walks, can be found on the town’s page on the Bird City Maryland website.

Special Features:

• The Promenade Grill (open spring to fall with varying hours) and restrooms are located in the City Marina parking lot.
• A playground and picnic tables are also available in the adjoining Tydings Memorial Park.
• Restrooms are also available at Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park and Frank J. Hutchins Park.
• Picnic tables are at Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park.
• The fishing platform at Frank J. Hutchins Park includes a free fishing area – no fishing license needed.
• Located within walking distance are the Concord Point Lighthouse, the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum and the Havre de Grace Maritime Museum. The Decoy Museum especially is worth a visit.
• The shopping area of the town, along St. John Street and vicinity, holds a large number of restaurants, with seafood being a specialty at most restuarants.
• Check out the City of Havre de Grace’s interactive map of its town parks; most of the parks are waterfront and provide good viewing opportunities for birders.
• The town’s brochure, Birds of Havre de Grace, includes a map showing birding spots as well as a handy pictorial ID guide for common local species.

Local MOS Chapter:

The local chapter of the Maryland Ornithological Society is the Harford Bird Club, which offers field trips and meetings with informative programs, all free and open to the public.

Free parking is available all around town. There is ample free parking (paved lots) at the City Marina and Tydings Memorial Park and at all the other spots mentioned here. Also on the street, near the Havre de Grace Decoy Museum and the Maritime Museum. Large lots are present on Water Street adjacent to restaurants and businesses.  A free shuttle will move you through town on weekends spring through fall.

Directions:

To Tydings Memorial Park and the City Marina:

From I-95: Take exit 89 onto southbound MD Route 155 (Level Rd) toward US Route 40 and Havre de Grace. Stay on Route 155 South for 2 miles. Immediately after a stone railroad underpass, continue straight at the fork onto Superior Street, passing under the US Route 40 bridge. Immediately after the underpass, bear right (southbound) onto North Juniata Street. Then turn left (east) onto MD Route 7/Otsego Street. Otsego Street ends near the waterfront; turn right (south) onto North Union Avenue (also known as MD Route 7 and MD Route 490) and continue (North Union becomes South Union) to the T-intersection at Commerce Street. Turn left on to Commerce Street and the City Marina/Tydings Memorial Park parking lot will be ahead on the right, down a slight slope. For other birding spots around town, consult the town’s interactive map of city parks .

OR

From Route 40 eastbound: Bear right onto MD Route 7/Revolution Street. Continue 1.5 miles and turn right at South Union Avenue. Continue south to the T-intersection at Commerce Street. Turn left on to Commerce Street and the marina parking will be ahead on the right, down a slight slope.

Nearby Sites:

Harford County: Anita C. Leight Estuary Center – Otter Point Creek ■ Bradenbaugh Flats & Upper Deer Creek Valley ■ Conowingo Dam / Fisherman’s Park (Harford County Side) ■ Eden Mill Nature Center ■ Harford Glen Environmental Education Center ■ Perryman Park & Forest Greens Park Area (Perryman Peninsula) ■ Rocks State Park ■Susquehanna State Park ■ Swan Harbor Farm & Tydings Park (Oakington)

Habitats:

Garden or ArboretumUrban or Small Town Landscape Jetties & SeawallsMud Flats (Tidal or Non-Tidal)Open Ocean, Bay, or EstuaryRivers & Streams

Features:

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