BlackwaterNational WildlifeRefuge

U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceBlackwater National Wildlife Refuge2145 Key Wallace DriveCambridge, MD 21613410/228 2677e-mail: fw5rw_bwnwr@fws.govhttp://www.fws.gov/blackwater/

Federal Relay Servicefor the deaf and hard-of-hearing1 800/877 8339

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service1 800/344 WILDhttp://www.fws.gov

August 2013

Delmarva fox squirrel© Richard Webster

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge(NWR), located 12 miles south ofCambridge, Maryland, wasestablished in 1933 as a refuge formigratory birds. The refuge includesmore than 28,000 acres of rich tidalmarsh, mixed hardwood and loblollypine forests, managed freshwaterwetlands and croplands. It serves asan important resting and feeding areafor migrating and winteringwaterfowl, and is one of the chiefwintering areas for Canada geeseusing the Atlantic Flyway. The refugesupports one of the highestconcentrations of nesting bald eagleson the Atlantic coast. BlackwaterNWR is also a haven for one of ournation’s endangered species, theDelmarva Peninsula fox squirrel.

Welcome

John and Karen Hollingsworth/USFWS

This blue goose,designed by J.N.“Ding” Darling,has become thesymbol of theNational WildlifeRefuge System.

Blackwater NationalWildlife Refuge is one ofmore than 560 refuges inthe National WildlifeRefuge Systemadministered by the U.S.Fish and WildlifeService, a federalagency. The NationalWildlife Refuge Systemis a network of landsand waters managedspecifically for theprotection of wildlifeand wildlife habitat forthe continuing benefit ofthe American people. Itrepresents the mostcomprehensive wildliferesource managementprogram in the world.

due to their competition for fishresources.

The refuge woodlands provide year-round homes for owls, towhees,woodpeckers, nuthatches, woodcockand wild turkey. The warmer monthsinvite warblers, vireos, orioles,flycatchers, and many others to thissame habitat. A bird checklist for therefuge is available to visitors.

In addition to its extensive list ofbirds, Blackwater supports a varietyof mammals, including bats, raccoons,rabbits, otters, opossums, skunks, andred fox. The marshes are home tolarge numbers of muskrats and, untilrecently, the larger nutria, a SouthAmerican rodent introduced in the1940s. The nutria caused considerablewetland damage, but an intensivetrapping effort, begun in 2002, hasvirtually eliminated the nutria fromthe refuge. White-tailed deer are oftenseen in wooded areas and in fields

Adult bald eagle in nest

Before its designation as a refuge, themarshland along the BlackwaterRiver was managed as a fur farm.Muskrats were the primary speciestrapped. Most of the woodlands,including the islands, had beentimbered. Remains of old drainageditches and furrows that crisscross insome existing woods indicate pastagricultural use.

The varied habitats of Blackwater,from open water to dense woodlands,promote a diversity of wildlife thatchange in numbers and species withthe seasons.

The best time to view waterfowl isNovember through February.Wintering species include tundraswans, Canada and snow geese, andmore than 20 duck species. The mostcommon ducks found are mallards,blue-winged teal, green-winged teal,wood ducks, wigeon, shovelers,mergansers, and pintails. Althoughmost waterfowl migrate north in thespring, some remain through thesummer, using the protected areas ofthe refuge to raise their young.Nesting waterfowl include mallardsand wood ducks.

Other large resident birds include thegreat blue heron and the bald eagle.Sightings of eagles are fairly commonas Blackwater is the center of thegreatest nesting density of baldeagles in the eastern United Statesnorth of Florida. Over 85 species ofbirds breed in the refuge woodlandsand surrounding habitat.

Numerous marsh and shorebirdsarrive in the spring and fall, searchingfor food in the vast mud flats andshallow waters of the BlackwaterRiver. Ospreys, or “fish hawks,” arecommon from spring through fall anduse nesting platforms that have beenplaced throughout the marsh. Ospreyand eagle interactions are interesting

History

Wildlife

Birds

©Mary Konchar

Mammals

along the forest edge. Sika deer, aspecies native to Asia that wereintroduced to nearby James Island in1916, prefer the wet woodlands andmarsh. Sika deer are more nocturnalthan white-tailed deer and, therefore,are less likely to be seen. Both graysquirrels and the endangeredDelmarva Peninsula fox squirrelsinhabit the wooded areas.

The goal of refuge management is tomaintain and enhance productivehabitat for a healthy diversity ofwildlife species. Management toolsinclude water level manipulation,forest improvement, and the controland elimination of exotic (non-native)plants and animals. Controlled burnsare utilized at Blackwater to reducethe risk of uncontrolled wildfires,regulate exotic vegetation andinvigorate the spring growth of nativemarsh grasses.

Refuge programs specifically designedfor waterfowl include management ofthe brackish marsh to producesucculent natural foods andmanagement of impoundments toprovide freshwater habitat. A varietyof crops are planted and native plantsare encouraged, providing an array offoods to meet the nutritional needs ofmigrating and wintering waterfowl.

A winter trapping program, regulated bythe refuge and accomplished by trappersunder a special permit, providesprotection for fragile marsh vegetationby reducing the impact of foragingfurbearers. All management programsare carefully monitored to ensure thebest interests of wildlife resources.

Endangered species are a specialresponsibility for the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service. One of these speciesis the Delmarva Peninsula foxsquirrel, which once ranged fromsoutheastern Pennsylvania souththroughout the Delmarva Peninsula.Populations of this large steel-graysquirrel were drastically reduced dueto the loss of suitable woodlandhabitat, and it was declaredendangered in 1967. However,biological and forest managementprograms at Blackwater and otherlands on the Delmarva Peninsula haveresulted in the stabilization andexpansion of Delmarva Peninsula foxsquirrel populations.

Our national symbol, the bald eagle,was once an endangered species. Itwas removed from the EndangeredSpecies List in June, 2007. Thanks tothe hard work of the U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service and many others, baldeagle numbers at the refuge, in theChesapeake Bay area, and around thecountry continue to increase. Likeother birds of prey, the eagle’s declinestemmed from causes endemic to ourtimes - pesticides, pollution,irresponsible shooting, and human

Osprey in nesting platform

Management

Furbearers

Endangered &ThreatenedSpecies

Waterfowl©Mary Konchar

Bucktown

RussellSwamp

White Oak Swamp

Raccoon Creek

Marsh

Kentuck Swamp

Green Brier Swamp

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Blackwater River

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Little ChoptankRiver

HongaRiver

Shorters Wharf Public Boat Ramp

FishingBay

Key Wallace Drive

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Legend

Hiking Trail

Headquarters

Visitor Center

Canoe Launch

Restroom

Highway

Canoe Trails

Wildlife Drive

Refuge Boundary

Photo Blind

Observation Site

BlackwaterNational Wildlife Refuge

encroachment. Blackwater played animportant role in protecting habitatcritical for the eagle’s recovery.Though no longer endangered, thebald eagle will continue to beprotected under other federal laws.

Events may vary by one or two weeksdepending on weather conditions.

Geese, swans and ducks are presentin the marsh along with hawks, greatblue herons, and a few species ofshorebirds. Golden eagles may beobserved in the area, and bald eaglesare often conspicuous along WildlifeDrive. Great horned owls areincubating eggs, while bald eagles arerebuilding their nests and beginningto lay eggs high in loblolly pine trees.

First northward bound migrantsappear late in February - killdeer,robins, and bluebirds. Most pairs ofbald eagles have eggs in their nests.Wintering waterfowl are preparingfor the long flight north throughintense foraging.

Great blue heron

Wildlife Calendar

January

Sika deer

Most migratory waterfowl depart forpoints north. Masses of red-wingedblackbirds pass through; some remainto nest. Osprey return from southernwintering grounds and beginconstructing nests. Young bald eagles(eaglets) begin to hatch.

Waterfowl are incubating eggs. Themajority of migrant marsh birdsreturn by mid-April. Blue-winged and green-winged teal pass through.(Blue-winged are latest in spring andearliest in fall). Delmarva fox squirrelsare born. Eaglets grow quickly intheir nests. Osprey, wild turkey andnorthern bobwhite all begin to nest.Peak shorebird migration occurs inlate April to early May.

Migratory songbirds peak in late Apriland early May with warblers beingmost conspicuous and abundant.White-tailed deer fawns (usuallytwins) begin to appear. Eaglets startto fledge; this will occur from the end

February

March

April

©Mary Konchar

©Larry Hitchens

May

them south. Tickseed sunflowersbloom; cattails go to seed. Songbirdmigration peaks in late September andearly October. Toads are abundant.

Autumn colors peak. Blackbirds, thelast of the songbirds to migrate, peakin October and November.

Abundance of ducks and geesegradually increases. Peak times forwaterfowl can vary from year to year..

Tundra swans from northwestCanada usually arrive inearly November. Severalhundred remainthroughout the winter.

White-tailed and sikadeer breed fromOctober toDecember.

Bald eagle numbersincrease with thearrival of migrantsfrom the north.Golden eagles areoccasionally seen.

The Visitor Center features exhibits, asecond floor observation area, alibrary, a butterfly garden, and a book-store managed by the Friends ofBlackwater NWR.

The Wildlife Drive is a four and a halfmile paved road that winds alongfreshwater ponds, through woods, pastfields, and adjacent to marshes.Walking and bicycling on the WildlifeDrive is permitted in both directions.For safety’s sake, visitors are asked tostay alongside the roadway. Pets areallowed inside vehicles only.

Interpretive trail leaflets are availableat the Visitor Center or the trail-headkiosks. The Marsh Edge Trail and theWoods Trail are located on the Wildlife

of the month through the middle ofJune. The first broods of waterfowlappear.

Ospreys begin to hatch. Eagletsfledge. Songbirds begin to nest. Youngwaterfowl begin to fly.

Note: In the summer, be prepared forlarge concentrations of flies andmosquitoes in the marsh and woods.

Large quantities of insects areconsumed by swallows, kingbirds, andflycatchers. The conspicuous marshhibiscus (mallow) begins to bloomalong marsh edges at the end of themonth. Osprey young leave the nest.

Wading bird numbers increase. Blue-winged teal begin to arrive fromthe north on their southward migration. Some bald eagles dispersenorthward after the breeding season.

Ospreys migrate to South and CentralAmerica. Waterfowl numbersgradually increase. Egrets and heronsaccumulate until cold weather pushes

June

July

Male red-winged blackbird on cattail

September

October -December

August

©Mary Konchar

Visitor ActivitiesVisitor Center

Wildlife Drive

Walking Trails

Hunting for deer, waterfowl and wildturkey is permitted seasonally indesignated areas of the refuge.Hunters must contact the refuge toobtain current hunting regulationsand permits.

Organized educational institutions mayreserve dates for presentations, guidedtours and outdoor classroom activities.Write, email, or call for additionalinformation.

For general information on volunteeropportunities on the refuge, please call410/901 6124.

Visitor Center - Open 8:00 am to4:00 pm, Monday - Friday; 9:00 am to5:00 pm, Saturday - Sunday. ClosedThanksgiving and Christmas.

Wildlife Drive and outdoor facilitiesare open daily, dawn to dusk, year-round. Some trails and portions ofthe Wildlife Drive may be closedoccasionally due to specialcircumstances or inclement weather.

A daily permit is required for all visitorsto the Wildlife Drive.

Private Vehicle - $3.00Pedestrian, Bicyclist - $1.00Federal Duck Stamp or federal passholder - Free

Commercial Van or Bus up to 20passengers - $15.0021 or more passengers - $25.00

Passes are available at the VisitorCenter and include either the currentFederal Duck Stamp valid July 1 toJune 30 ($15); the Interagency AnnualPass ($80) and the Blackwater NWRPass ($12) valid one year from date ofissue; the Interagency Senior Pass forthose 62 years or older ($10); or theInteragency Access Pass free forpeople who are blind or permanently disabled.

Drive. The Marsh Edge Trail is a 1/3mile paved path through forests alongthe edge of the Little BlackwaterRiver. The Woods Trail loops throughprime Delmarva Peninsula foxsquirrel habitat of pine and mixedhardwoods for 1/2 mile. Located atthe corner of Key Wallace Drive andEgypt Road, the 2.7-mile Key WallaceTrail passes through some of theoldest trees on the refuge. TheTubman Road Trail, located off ofHip Roof Road, takes visitors 1.5miles through a mixed landscape offorest, old fields, and wet sloughs.Visitors are reminded that pets arenot permitted on the trails.

Poison ivy is common along the trails.Remember the saying “leaves ofthree, let it be.” Biting insects andticks are present from mid-Aprilthrough late September. Protectiveclothing and insect repellent arerecommended. Restrooms are locatedin the Visitor Center, and at theMarsh Edge Trail parking area.

Bicycling is permitted along the entirelength of the Wildlife Drive in bothdirections.

Boating is permitted April 1 –September 30. Boats may only belaunched from designated county boatramps or the refuge launch. Quality offishing ranges from poor to fair. Nofishing is allowed from the refugeshoreline or Wildlife Drive. Airboatuse is not permitted. Furtherinformation on fishing/boatingregulations can be obtained at theVisitor Center.

Three marked canoe/kayak trailstotaling over 20 miles are available forpaddling. Canoe and kayaks may belaunched from designated areas only.Detailed paddling trail maps may bepurchased at the Vistor Center.

Fishing/Boating

EducationalOpportunities

Hours

VolunteerOpportunities

Entrance Fees

qPaddling Trails

Hunting

Bike Route

For Your Safetyand Comfort