Saturday, April 27

The only Saturday field trip with open spots is our 2:00 – 4:00 pm Shorebird Explorer boat trip. All other trips are sold out, but we are keeping waitlists in case someone cancels.

MORNING FIELD TRIPS

Neotropicals on the Nassawango – Red House Road to Nassawango Bridge (KAYAK/CANOE)
Time: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Cost: $65/person sharing a canoe ($120 total), $80/person solo kayak, $50/person with your own boat & portage (please note: cost includes 11% tax added to rentals by Pocomoke River Canoe Co.)
Guides: Russ Kovach & Jim Rapp
Meeting Location: Pocomoke River Canoe Company, located at 2 River St, Snow Hill, MD 21863

Please note: All paddling done by participants; some experience required. Must be 13 years old to participate. If you are reserving a tandem kayak or canoe, please plan to attend with a paddling partner. We can’t always guarantee another solo paddler will join you in a two-person boat. Thank you!

Please note: we have room for four more guests on this trip as of 2:00 pm on April 5.

After we meet at the Pocomoke River Canoe Company in Snow Hill, we’ll be driven to the launch at Red House Road, a few miles northwest. From there, we’ll paddle Nassawango Creek deep into this forested wilderness of bald cypress. Prothonotary Warblers, Wood Ducks, Bald Eagles, and beavers are regulars on this 3-hour trip, which will end at the bridge on Nassawango Road.

On a windy day, this paddle can present a moderate challenge as we approach the Nassawango Road bridge. Paddlers may choose canoes, tandem kayaks, or solo kayaks.

Newport Farms Diversity Walk (HIKING)
Time: 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Cost: $30/person
Guides: Dave Wilson, Kim Abplanalp & Scott Housten
Meeting Location: Cul-de-sac at the eastern end of Hayes Landing Road. We will carpool from the meeting location to reduce the number of vehicles entering Newport Farms. GPS coordinates: 38.276200, -75.200491

This field trip is sold out. If you wish to be placed on the waitlist, please email dmvbirds@gmail.com with your name and the number in your party. If someone cancels, we may be able to add you.

The privately owned 2,200-acre Newport Farm reveals spectacular spring birding replete with a remote 70-acre freshwater pond next to the vast forests and marshes of Newport Bay. For this reason, this trip enjoys one of the highest species counts during the Spring DBW. Bird lovers on this one-of-a-kind trip will enjoy short walks totaling less than two miles. The bucolic scene provides a breathtaking backdrop to one of our favorite birding destinations. Summer Tanagers, Brown-headed Nuthatches, and Yellow-throated Warblers often make this trip a colorful one.

AFTERNOON FIELD TRIP

Shorebird Explorer (BOAT TRIP)
Time: 2:00 – 4:00 PM
Cost: $45/person
Guides: Russ Kovach, Scott Housten, Kim Abplanalp, Dave Wilson & Jim Rapp
Meeting Location: Talbot Street Pier in Ocean City, MD, located at 311 Talbot St., Ocean City, MD 21842. GPS Coordinates: 38.331652, -75.090363

Please note: We have been asked to park at the Assateague Adventure parking lot at 205 Talbot Street. Look for a large “Assateague Advenuture” parking sign directly behind the bank. After you have parked, meet your guides at the end of the Talbot Street Pier. Please click on this Google Map for specific parking and meeting locations.

Leave the dock at Talbot Street in Ocean City, Maryland, and tour by boat around Skimmer Island and the north shore of Assateague Island. This two-hour trip is a great for adding coastal species to your DBW checklist, such as Royal Tern, Piping Plover, Purple Sandpiper, Brant, and Common Loons transitioning into their spectacular breeding plumage. And don’t forget the Assateague ponies! Please bring a $5- $10 tip for the First Mate. Piping Plover; photo courtesy of Frode Jacobsen.

Only for the Shorebird Explorer boat trip! Courtesy of Johns Hopkins University Press, we will hold a raffle to win copies of Bruce Beehler’s newest book, Birds of North America, and his comprehensive volume Birds of Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia. Raffle tickets will be provided as you board the boat, and the drawing will be held as we return to the dock. Must be present to win.

If you want to order either book directly from Hopkins Press with a 30% promo code, please click these links for details: Birds of North America and Birds of Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia.

We will host a brief Tally Rally on the Talbot Street dock when the boat returns. We encourage you to stay and enjoy happy hour at the world-famous M.R. Duck’s Bar & Grille!

EVENING FIELD TRIP

Night Birds of the Marsh (DRIVING/HIKING)
Time: 6:30 – 9:30 pm
Guides: Russ Kovach & Jim Rapp
Cost: $30/person
Meeting Location: Taylors Landing boat ramp, located at 6636 Taylor Landing Rd, Girdletree, MD 21829. GPS coordinates: 38.076662, -75.364728

This field trip is sold out. If you wish to be placed on the waitlist, please email dmvbirds@gmail.com with your name and the number in your party. If someone cancels, we may be able to add you.

Tour the 2,630-acre E.A. Vaughn Wildlife Management Area and Truitt’s Landing east of Snow Hill, Maryland to seek out Clapper Rail, Sora, Marsh Wrens, Chuck-will’s-widows, and Eastern Screech Owls. Bring a flashlight, bug spray, and boots or shoes that may get wet. But don’t fret. The chorus of the nighttime wilderness vanquishes the nuisance of a soggy foot or a bug or two. Meet in the parking area for the Taylor Landing boat ramp near Girdletree, Maryland, at 6:30 p.m. prior to caravanning to our first stop.

Truitt’s Landing.

Please note:

  • No cancellations are accepted after April 10, 2024. For a further explanation of our refund policy, please click here.
  • Trips will go rain or shine, unless torrential rains prevent us from viewing wildlife.
  • If the trip is canceled due to dangerous conditions, we will notify you via email. Please note that the email will be sent to all participants BCC, so you may need to check your email spam folder. A full refund will be provided within 15 days.