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Cecil Birding Hotspots
Courthouse Point Managed Hunting Area |
| Description |
Courthouse Point MHA is one of the
most productive birding sites in
Cecil County, boasting a long list of regular and accidental species
from
both dry and wet habitats. Courthouse Point is owned by the Army
Corps of Engineers and managed for hunting by the Maryland Department
of
Natural Resources. The 350 acre site contains a large diked
impoundment
holding
dredge spoils from the nearby C&D Canal,
as
well as a smaller pond, partly diked and partly natural. Water
levels
in the impoundment and pond are controlled by the managers and vary
from
season to season. The impoundment and pond are heavily grown with
phragmites. There are two small deciduous woodlots and extensive
hedgerows and scrub. Gravel roads at the base and on top of the
dike
circle the large impoundment, and there is a view of the Elk River its
west end.
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| How to get there |
From Chesapeake City, take Rt. 213
south and turn right (west) onto
Courthouse Point Road. Continue for about 2.3 miles to the
signposted
entrance and parking area on the left.
From
Cecilton, take Rt. 213 north and turn left (west) onto Courthouse
Point Rd. Proceed as above.
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| Map references |
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| What to do
after arrival |
Park at the entrance sign, or, if
the yellow gate is open (as it often
is during hunting season), you may drive in. Mileages that follow
are measured from the parking area. Follow the gravel entrance
lane
straight ahead 0.1 miles to the base of the dike and turn left (east)
to
reach the most productive birding; if on foot, you may choose to
walk at the base of the dyke or on top of it, but if driving, stay on
the
lower road as the dike top may be impassable in spots. The bushes
and small trees along the dike are often filled with small landbirds,
and
the phragmites in the impoundment also shelter sparrows and finches,
so,
even if driving, stop often to check for small birds.
Where
the dike makes a sharp bend to the right (0.5 miles, roughly the
northeast corner of the large impoundment), check the floor of the
impoundment
to see if there is any water in the corner; if so, look for
waterfowl,
waders, rails, and shorebirds here. The wet woods to the left
(outside
the impoundment) often host Wood Ducks.
At
0.7 miles, watch on the left for a small parking area and wide trail
leading through the woodlot. Open to foot traffic only, this
trail
can be productive for warblers and other woodland birds in
spring.
The trail ends in the woods near a marshy section on the edge of the
smaller
pond; walk through the treeline to view the pond and marsh.
Retrace your steps to the main road at the dike and turn left
(south).
As
you continue along the main road at the dike, the smaller pond will
quickly become visible to the left; if wet, check all sections of
the pond for waterfowl, waders, or shorebirds in season. The marshy
sections
of the small pond are good for rails. Continue between the small pond
on
the left and the large impoundment on the right to the southeast corner
of the large impoundment at 1.0 miles. There is often water in
this
corner of the large impoundment, and in the past this has been the best
spot for shorebirds in migration. There is a view of a grassy meadow
and
small cattail marsh, just beyond the end of the road between the two
impoundments.
From
the southeast corner of the large impoundment, you may retrace
your route to the parking lot (2.0 miles round-trip), or can continue
around
the large impoundment by heading to the right (west or clockwise, 2.5
miles
round-trip). The hedgerows near the south side of the large
impoundment
can be productive, and if you continue to the west side of the
impoundment
you will have a view of the Elk River. At 1.9 and 2.0 miles,
gravel
roads lead down a steep hill to the shore of the river; the
bottom
may be extremely muddy and cars may get stuck, so walking is
suggested.
The woodlot on the left after 2.0 miles can be productive for warblers,
thrushes, and other forest species.
Continue
on the main road at the dike and make a left at 2.4 miles to
return to the parking area.
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| Birds to look
for |
- Year-round:
Waterfowl, raptors, wrens, sparrows, and finches.
- Spring through early fall:
Waders, gulls and terns, rails,
shorebirds,
swallows, flycatchers, warblers, vireos, tanagers, grosbeaks,
orioles.
- Birds of particular
interest: Northern Harrier, Little Blue
Heron,
Wild Turkey, Short-eared Owl, Marsh Wren, Winter Wren, Scarlet
Tanager,
Blue Grosbeak, Yellow-breasted Chat, Swamp Sparrow. Watch for
breeding
Wood Duck, Blue-Winged Teal, Green-winged Teal.
It
is possible to find a large proportion of the regularly-occurring
birds on the Cecil Checklist at
Courthouse
Point. |
| Hours/Fees/Amenities |
Access to Courthouse Point MHA is
restricted to hunting permit holders for the hunting season from
September 1 through
February 15. Check State
hunting seasons.
Outside the hunting
season, Courthouse Point is open for hiking, fishing,
bird watching, nature photography, etc. with non-hunting permit. No fee
to enter; however, the
free annual non-hunting use permit is strictly required and must be
displayed on your parked
car. To request a permit, contact the Gwynnbrook Wildlife and Heritage Service Office
at 410-356-9272;
allow 3
weeks for delivery
of your permit by mail.
There are no
picnic tables, restrooms, or
other amenities at the site. The closest public restroom is at
the
Canal Museum (Monday - Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.; closed
Sunday)
or at the library in South Chesapeake City (limited hours). There
is a picnic area just outside the Canal Museum along Rt. 286. |
| What to bring |
A scope is needed to scan the
water. Waterproof footwear may
be needed after rain. Bugs are rarely a problem, even at the
height
of summer. |
| Difficulty of
walking |
Easy to moderate. Most
walking is on flat, gravelled or
dirt roads. Some short climbs up the gravelly side of the dyke may be
needed.
Total round trip distance around the large impoundment and back to the
parking area is 2.5 miles. |
| Personal safety |
This is an isolated area with
little public use. Most birders
would feel more comfortable with a friend. Coyotes may be found
here
but generally do not bother people. Check the State hunting
schedule and do not visit during hunting season. |
| Nearby sites |
Bethel MHA,
C&D Canal
Levees, Earleville WMA, Elk Forest WMA/Welch
Point WMA
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| For more
information |
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Copyright
1998,
1999, 2007 Cecil Bird
Club; All rights reserved. May be printed for personal use
but may not be reproduced in any form for mass or commercial
distribution
without permission of the Executive
Committee
of the Cecil Bird Club.
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