White Marsh Park at Bloomfield Farm

White Marsh Park at Bloomfield Farm

200 Bloomfield Farm Lane, Centreville, MD 21617
GPS Coordinates: 39.069337, -76.049040
410-758-0835

At first glance, White Marsh Park at Bloomfield Farm might seem like any ordinary sports-oriented county park, with lots of space occupied by ball fields and filled with kids kicking, throwing, and batting at all types of balls. But take another look: notice the extensive meadows full of native plants, the dense, wet woods at the back of the park, the reforestation areas, the small fishing pond and a larger pond both surrounded by vegetation, and the vegetated drainage swales, and you’ll get the idea that there’s more going on here than sports.  In fact, in partnership with the Natural Lands Project at Washington College in Chestertown, the natural areas of the park are being planted and maintained to provide early successional and grassland habitat; White Marsh Park is just one of several county and state-owned parks where the Natural Lands team is working to provide improved habitat. As a direct result, the front meadows at White Marsh Park are teeming with Grasshopper Sparrows, Field Sparrows, and even a few Dickcissels in the summer, and with an even wider assortment of sparrows and other field birds in the winter.

White Marsh Park occupies 318 acres on the grounds of the historic home called Bloomfield, which dates back to the early 1800s. The property was acquired by Queen Anne’s County in 2006, with the assistance of the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and Program Open Space funds from the state. The county has been developing the park with thoughtful touches to provide both active recreation and natural areas that support birds and other wildlife and to promote sustainability. For example, the parking areas were built with pervious paving to protect water quality and reduce runoff.

The tree-lined entrance road, Bloomfield Farm Lane, leads from MD Route 213/Church Hill Road straight back toward the historic home. There is small native plant garden and information kiosk near the entrance, with room to park a car or two. Songbirds hang out near this garden, as well as in the trees lining the road and the hedgerows along Route 213.

The entrance road leads past the two large meadows, one on either side of the road, and as mentioned, these are sparrow magnets. Feel free to pull your car over on the entrance road so that you can take some time to give the fields a good look. If you’d like to walk the meadows, there are mown foot-trails ringing the fields, and there may be mown trails that go diagonally across the fields as well, but the location of the mown trails – indeed their very existence – tends to vary seasonally. If you’re going to spend a lot of time walking the trails through the meadows, you should proceed to one of the three parking areas at the back of the park and leave your car there while you walk; see our park map in the link in the orange box in the At a Glance section.

Past the historic home and its cluster of outbuildings (none open to the public), the back part of the park is primarily devoted to the sports fields, but even here are some interesting habitat features. Just south of the cluster of four baseball fields, there is a fenced area, the Edible Garden Trail, planted with trees and shrubs bearing edible fruits and nuts. Anyone is free to enter through the gate and enjoy the bounty of the garden. The birder will find that the edible plantings attract birds as well, and there will be goldfinches, orioles, and other songbirds hanging out here, depending on season.

Behind the baseball fields is a largish L-shaped man-made fishing pond, stocked with fish, that attracts a small number of waterfowl and waders. The vegetation around the pond also attracts small songbirds, and be sure to check the fences around the edible trail, the ball fields and anywhere else; small birds like sparrows and warblers like to perch on the fences, often in numbers. Also check the stanchions of the disc golf course, which provide perches for bluebirds and such. Notice also that there are strips of vegetation alongside swales that carry stormwater from the ball fields and parking areas to the pond; these swales are another place to look carefully for songbirds.

Be sure to bird along the edge of the woods behind the pond, along the eastern boundary of the park. There are no formal trails in the woods, but lingering at the wood edge should get you some good birds, perhaps by ear if not by sight. At the park’s southeast corner, the woods contain the headwaters of a small stream and associated wetlands, and the birding here may be very good. Another wooded area but smaller, is on the south side of the historic home, where there is a long, rectangular woodlot with deciduous trees, perhaps planted as a windbreak, and that’s worth a check as well.

As mentioned, you should park at the back parking lots to walk the mown paths in and around the meadows, and one place not to be missed is a large manmade pond at the northeast corner of the field north of the entrance road (see park map). This large pond is ringed by vegetation and is circled by a natural surface trail that starts at the edge of the grassy sports fields. Park in the nothernmost of the three parking areas, then walk across or around the sports fields to the west of the parking area, and look for a gap in the hedgerow to access the path around the pond. Check our map for the location of access to the path. This pond is bigger than the L-shaped fishing pond, and in winter attracts flocks of waterfowl and in summer, waders and maybe a few shorebirds.

As of fall 2025, the park’s website states that the county is clearing a strip around the perimeter of the park and putting in a split rail fence to define the boundary, as well as establishing a Park Perimeter Trail on the outside of the wooded buffer. Birders should notice these improvements in the near future. The Perimeter Trail will be a welcome addition, providing access to more of the park.

The northeast corner of the park is adjacent to a 38-acre parcel of state-owned land, known as the former Poirier property; this parcel is delineated by an orange property line boundary on our park map. The property is undeveloped and has no access by car, but can be entered on foot from the park. The state-owned parcel is covered in wet deciduous woods and should be good for warblers in spring and fall. The state has not announced plans for use of this property, but it is considered to be of high conservation value in supporting biodiversity..

Birdlife:

Over 147 species have been reported on the eBird hotspot for White Marsh Park at Bloomfield Farm.

Waterfowl include Canada Geese and Mallards on both ponds, year-round; Wood Ducks in the warm months; small numbers of occasional Snow Geese, Cackling Geese, and Tundra Swans in the winter; and small flocks of Northern Shovelers, Gadwall, American Black Duck, Green-winged Teal, Ringed-necked Ducks and Hooded Mergansers, mostly during the spring pre-migration staging time. Double-crested Cormorants may be present in winter.

Northern Bobwhite previously occurred here and in the vicinity, and might become re-established as the habitat improves. Wild Turkeys are occasionally seen or heard.

Rock Doves are occasional spillovers from the nearby town of Centreville, and from adjacent farmyards. Mourning Doves occur year-round and breed here. Yellow-billed Cuckoos can be found in the wooded area in summer. Chimney Swifts are constant flyovers, especially near the larger pond, in summer.

In the shorebird department, Killdeer are always present and are confirmed breeders. Apart from the Killdeer, Greater Yellowlegs are the most likely shorebirds to be found, but there are scattered reports of Wilson’s Snipe, Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least and Pectoral Sandpipers.

Laughing Gulls in summer and Ring-billed Gulls in winter are the most likely larids.

The ponds attract a good set of waders: Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Green Heron (confirmed breeder), Great Egret, and Great Blue Heron (year-round).

If you’re looking for raptors, Black and Turkey Vultures are always present; Bald Eagles, Red-shouldered Hawks, and Red-tailed Hawks are also found year-round. Osprey are present in the warm months. Other raptors are seen during migration or in winter, including Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks, Northern Harrier, American Kestrels, and Merlins. Barred Owls nest here or nearby.

Belted Kingfishers are present from spring through early winter. The year-round woodpecker suite includes Red-bellied, Downy, Pileated, and Northern Flicker; Yellow-breasted Sapsuckers occur in winter and there are occasional reports of Hairy Woodpecker in the winter.

Summer flycatchers include Eastern Wood-Pewee, Great Crested, and Eastern Kingbird; there may also be Acadian Flycatchers, Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, and Eastern Phoebes in migration. Vireos are also present in summer or migration; these include White-eyed, Blue-headed, Warbling, and Red-eyed.

Blue Jays and American Crows are always noisily evident, and are joined by Fish Crows in the warm months.

Small woodland birds include Carolina Chickadees and Tufted Titmice (year-round); Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets (winter); White-breasted Nuthatches (sporadic throughout the year); and Red-breasted Nuthatches and Brown Creepers (some winters).

Swallows frequent the fields and ponds during the summer months: Tree, Bank, Northern Rough-winged, Barn, and Purple Martins.

Carolina Wrens occur year-round, but Northern House Wrens are surprisingly infrequent, maybe only during fall migration. There may be a Winter Wren or two in winter but they are not reliable. Northern Mockingbirds are also present year-round, and are joined by Brown Thrashers and Gray Catbirds in the warm months.

Look for thrushes in and near woods: Eastern Bluebirds (numerous year-round); Swainson’s (only occasional during migration); Hermit (one or two in winter); Wood (reliable in summer); American Robin (numerous year-round). Cedar Waxwings are prevalent in late spring and falll check especially at the Edible Trail or on shrubs and trees with berries.

Finches include House Finch and American Goldfinch (year-round) and possible Purple Finches some winters.

The sparrow department is where White Marsh Park shines. Expect Field Sparrows year-round; Song Sparrows are present most of the year but mysteriously less likely in August and September; both Field and Song breed here, along with Grasshopper and Chipping. Wintering sparrows include American Tree (scarce), Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated and White-crowned, Vesper (scarce), Savannah, Swamp, and Eastern Towhee. Plus Lincoln’s Sparrows during fall migration. House Sparrows are sporadic throughout the year and more numerous in winter.

Other field birds are also specialties here. Yellow-breasted Chats are found in the brushy areas in summer; listen for their loud songs and persistent chatter calls. Bobolinks may be found in the fields during both spring and fall migration, and Eastern Meadowlarks are also likely at these times. Both Baltimore and Orchard Orioles are present during breeding season; look near the ponds and edges of the woods. Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Common Grackles and European Starlings are present during most of the year. Rusty Blackbirds might be found in early spring; look near the fishing pond and along the edges of the wet woods, especially near standing water on the ground. Dickcissels are found during the summer on the brushed edges of the fields and in hedgerows. Additional field birds include Horned Larks in winter plus late summer-early fall and American Pipits in late October through early March.

Among warblers, only Common Yellowthroat is a breeder. About a dozen species are found in migration, and fall tends to be better than spring. Two species are present for all or most of the winter: Palm Warbler and Yellow-rumped.

Northern Cardinals are numerous year-round; Blue Grosbeaks and Indigo Buntings both breed here and are easy to find in the late spring or summer.

• The park has numerous recreational features, including baseball/softball diamonds and lacrosse and soccer fields, and a disc golf course.
• The Edible Garden Trail is a unique feature.
• Fishing is allowed in the ponds, which are stocked.
• Bikes are allowed on the trails.
• The historic Bloomfield home is on the Maryland Historic Trust Inventory; the county intends to restore the home and perhaps open it to the public for tours.
• There are benches scattered around the back of the park and bleachers at some of the sports fields. Hint: climb the bleachers for elevated views of birds on the ground.
• Portable restrooms are available near the parking areas for the sports fields and the Edible Trail. The county is planning to build permanent restrooms.

• Maryland DNR has posted a brief YouTube video about the Edible Garden Trail at White Marsh Park.
• Watch a presentation on restoration of habitat for Bobwhite Quail and other grassland and early successional habitat-dependent species, by Dan Small, director of the Natural Lands Project at Washington College, and hosted by University of Maryland Cooperative Extension as part of their Land and Wildlife Series.

• A small area for one or two cars at the entrance, near a kiosk and native plant garden.
• Large paved lots in the back of the park: two near the sports fields and one at the Edible Trail.

Nearby Sites:

Queen Anne’s County: Blue Heron Nature Preserve ■ Browns Branch Wildlife Management Area ■ Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center – Horsehead ■ Conquest Preserve ■ Ferry Point Park ■  Matapeake Clubhouse & Beach / Matapeake Fishing Pier & Boat Ramp ■ Terrapin Nature Park ■ Tuckahoe State Park (Queen Anne’s County) ■   Wye Island Natural Resources Management Area

Habitats:

Bottomland Deciduous ForestsHedgerows Lawn, Ballfields, Golf CourseStormwater Retention Pond Hay Meadows, Pasture, Grass FieldOld Fields, Shrubby Meadows Forested SwampFreshwater Marsh or FloodplainFreshwater Pond, Lake, or Reservoir

Features and Amenities:

Type: