Friday, April 26: Bay Club & Heron Park Field Trip

Prairie Warbler. Photo credit: Frode Jacobsen.

MORNING FIELD TRIP

Bay Club & Heron Park (HIKING/DRIVING)
Date: Friday, April 26
Time: 8:00 – 11:00 am
Cost: $30/person (proceeds to benefit the Lower Shore Land Trust)
Guides: Jared Parks, Frank Deuter & Jim Rapp
Meeting Location: 9122 Libertytown Road, Berlin, MD 21811. Meet at the entrance to the old Bay Club Golf Course.
GPS coordinates: 38.3351265,-75.2497424

Please note: Dress and prepare for hiking on trails that may be wet and muddy. Waterproof boots are recommended. Please prepare for ticks. Be sure to bring insect repellent. For information about preventing tickborne diseases, please click here.

White-eyed Vireo. Photo credit: Frode Jacobsen.

Join your guides Jared Parks and Frank Deuter of the Lower Shore Land Trust and Jim Rapp of Delmarva Birding as we explore Worcester County’s newest birding hotspot, the Bay Club just west of Berlin, MD. This former golf course is currently being restored to open meadows, wetlands and forest that are already teeming with songbirds! Management of the property for public access is just beginning, so the trail network is not fully installed. However, MD DNR is in the process of creating an extensive trail network from the cart paths of the old golf course to provide access for birders seeking warblers, sparrows, vireos and more.

Following our tour at the Bay Club, we’ll drive 2.5 miles to Berlin to scope the ponds at Heron Park for later wintering waterfowl and early arriving spring songbirds and wading birds.

Google Map of Birding Trip Meeting Sites

About the Bay Club property

The Bay Club property was recently purchased by MD DNR with assistance from the Lower Shore Land Trust with the ultimate goal of restoring the hydrology and native vegetation of the site. Since the managing agency, the Maryland Forest Service, is forest focused, the remnants of the old golf course and agricultural areas are being restored to forest using Stabilization Funds to reconnect the existing stands into a single forest stand. In addition to its afforestation efforts, the Forest Service is utilizing Stabilization Funds to create sufficient parking to serve the site and establish a trail network to ensure greater accessibility for the public.

The new forest acreage supports both the Chesapeake Forest’s overarching Sustainable Forest Management Plan goals for sustainable forest and resource management and future land acquisitions. The Forest Service’s restoration work provides both a foundation for the wetland and meadow restoration work proposed in this application and the access component that allows the public to experience a whole range of integrated habitats. 

The Bay Club restoration also supports Maryland’s “5 Million Tree Initiative” by optimizing plantings in former agricultural fields and golf course fairways to realize multiple co-benefits including enhanced pollinator and wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, improved air and water quality, and public accessibility. 

Here are some tips to help make your birding adventure safe, fun and comfortable:

  • Dress and prepare for hiking on trails that may be wet and muddy. Waterproof boots are recommended. Please prepare for ticks. Be sure to bring insect repellent. For information about preventing tickborne diseases, please click here.
  • Carry sunscreen, sunglasses and/or a hat to protect yourself from the sun.
  • Bring rain gear if needed. Trips will go rain or shine, unless torrential rains prevent us from viewing wildlife.
  • Try to arrive a little before the scheduled trip departs.
  • Be courteous to your fellow birders. Speak quietly and turn off cell phones during trips.
  • There are no restroom facilities at the Bay Club or Heron Park.

Please note:

  • No cancellations are accepted after April 10, 2024. For a further explanation of our refund policy, please click here.
  • 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.

This project is supported by: