Seeking Info on Viewing Tufted Duck - Baltimore County

[Marcia Watson]

Can someone please provide details on how to get to a spot to view the Tufted Duck currently being see in Baltimore County? I’ve seen the eBird reports and I’m familiar with Fort Howard Park and with North Point Rd, and I know that the bird is being seen in one of the coves of Shallow Creek. My question is - how exactly to get to a vantage point over the water, and where to park? Will appreciate any help. A marked-up map would be super-helpful. Thanks,

Marcia
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Marcia Watson
Bowie, MD

[Mike Bowen]

As the eBird Hotspot Editor for Maryland, I received yesterday a recommendation from a birder that we establish a Hotspot in Baltimore County called "Shallow Creek Park, Fort Howard (restricted access)," which I suspect is the place to which Marcia would like to get access.  The location given by the recommender is east of Fort Howard Rd. and may be private property.  See map below for the approximate location of the recommendation (green "balloon").

Does anyone who has been to this location know how permission to bird there can be obtained, if indeed it is required?

Mike Bowen

Bethesda

D. H. Michael Bowen
8609 Ewing Drive
Bethesda, Maryland 20817

Phone: (202) 236-0510

Ambassador for American Bird Conservancy, helping ABC help the birds

eBird Hotspot Reviewer/Editor for Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia

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[Art Drauglis]

Since I am considering chasing this bird I pieced together the information found on eBird to

try and come up with a game plan.

One person said that they scoped to the Northeast, and others referenced going through a 

yellow gate and following that path to get a view of the cove.

The yellow gate appears, via Google street view, to be across from Chestnut ave.

It also has a sign, as of July 2019, saying "No dumping or trespassing". 

No mention is made of parking.

Several observers bushwhacked through North Point State Park to gain access to the cove, but

as with much bushwhacking, their descriptions of where to go were less than precise.

Obviously there is ample legal parking available here.

No matter where you go it seems that to get this bird requires a considerable amount 

of walking, so I know I will be factoring that in should I go.

It does look like it will be a lovely day for a chase, though.

Art D

W, DC

[Hugh David Fleischmann]

Being seen now! From KEC. 

TUDU YES!!!

Currently in the north part of the creek behind Todd’s Inheritance hotspot. Walk south along the fence, then follow the fence to the water’s edge. Scope near the far shore. 

Thanks Gale and Gary!!!

Steller Birding in 2022!

H. David Fleischmann 

410-598-9292

Da...@macappraisals.com

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 22, 2022, at 8:25 AM, Art Drauglis <lws...@gmail.com> wrote:

Since I am considering chasing this bird I pieced together the information found on eBird to

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[Mike Bowen]

It's clear from the AllTrails map of this area that the trails accessed from the end of Chestnut Ave. off North Point Rd. are indeed private.  Given that we don't know how or if permission could be obtained to travel there, we won't be establishing a new Hotspot.

Jim Stasz advises that the duck can sometimes be viewed from Fort Howard Veterans Park (a Hotspot) to the North, and Hugh David F. has reported it from nearer the Hotspot for Todd's Inheritance Historic Site.

Mike Bowen, Bethesda

eBird Hotspot Editor for Maryland

[Rick Borchelt]

Thanks for the wise decision, Mike.  I've been troubled by comments in this exchange like, yes it's posted "No Trespassing" but nobody has ever complained.  This is exactly the behavior that gets us barred from prime sites we might otherwise have enjoyed access to.  In addition to being directly in opposition to the ABA Code of Birding Ethics 3(a):

Never enter private property without the landowner’s permission. Respect the interests of and interact positively with people living in the area where you are birding.

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Rick Borchelt
College Park, MD
preferred personal email:  rborchelt |AT| gmail |DOT| com

http://leplog.wordpress.com

[Marcia Watson]

Mike,

  I looked up the ownership of that parcel — It’s owned by the county. Some unofficial maps (the bait click kind) call it Shallow Creek Park, but it is not on the county parks list. However, old planning documents (2011) for the Star-Spangled Trail do show plans for a nature viewing area there.

From satellite images it appears to be an old dredge spoils site or possibly a landfill or maybe (less likely) a stormwater pond. There appears to be an overgrown impoundment. 

Marcia

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Marcia Watson

Bowie, Maryland

On Feb 22, 2022, at 7:12 AM, 'Mike Bowen' via Maryland & DC Birding <mdbi...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



As the eBird Hotspot Editor for Maryland, I received yesterday a recommendation from a birder that we establish a Hotspot in Baltimore County called "Shallow Creek Park, Fort Howard (restricted access)," which I suspect is the place to which Marcia would like to get access.  The location given by the recommender is east of Fort Howard Rd. and may be private property.  See map below for the approximate location of the recommendation (green "balloon").

<1645531644558blob.jpg>

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To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/598566897.535679.1645531935177%40mail.yahoo.com.

<1645531644558blob.jpg>

[Marcia Watson]

Mike,

I sent the email below before reading your later post with your decision not to put a hotspot on that parcel. I support that. Often these old industrial use sites are posted no trespassing because of safety issues.

Marcia

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Marcia Watson

Bowie, Maryland

On Feb 22, 2022, at 10:25 AM, Marcia Watson <marsh...@comcast.net> wrote:

Mike,

[Fred Shaffer]

Several of us just had the Tufted Duck in the cove behind the the Todd's Inheritance historic site. Park along North Point Road at the historic marker and walk on the outside of the white picket fence down to the water. The fence wraps around the private historic site and ends at the water's edge. The bird was with 40 or 50 scalp, mergansers and Ruddy Ducks. Scope needed to view.

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

On Tue, Feb 22, 2022 at 10:33 AM, Marcia Watson

<marsh...@comcast.net> wrote:

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/mdbirding/9A019B2B-5843-429A-830C-80E81E43C8BA%40comcast.net

.