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Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

Kirk Engle
Aug 11, 2017
3 min read

On our trip to North Carolina recently we were able to do a quick stop at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. This stop is like going home for me as I grew up just a short 30 minutes or so from here. As a young boy I was fortunate to participate in some advanced science programs through our school system and as a result - got to spend a lot of time here learning, enjoying, and just having fun! If you are ever anywhere on the Delmarva Peninsula - this place is a must stop if you are a nature/wildlife/outdoor lover. Certain times of year (fall) and time of day (the golden hour) are the best times to maximize and be able to see a lot of wildlife. No time is a bad time however. I must say we came as close as possible to a "bad time" as the day we visited was gray, very windy, and there was intermittent rain - all a precursor to a rare summer nor'easter in the mid-Atlantic. As a result we saw very little wildlife and our views were limited at times by bands of showers moving across the river. Nevertheless, this place is one of the most beautiful wetland environments you can ever visit. So before I share some photos I want to share some information on the Refuge.

Blackwater is located in Dorchester County Maryland (on the "eastern shore") just a few miles south of the City of Cambridge. The entire area is flat, coastal plain with a lot of open farmland but also equal amounts of heavy woodlands. The refuge itself is a combination of wetlands and forest (both evergreen & deciduous) that comprise about 28,000 acres of preserved land. Blackwater is overseen by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and was established back in 1933 originally as a wildlife preserve along the Atlantic Flyway for migratory birds. The main river (Blackwater River) gets it's name from the appearance of the water which appears dark due to the runoff draining through the marshy soils.

The refuge is home to numerous bird, mammal, reptile, and amphibian wildlife species. The more notorious residents being the American Bald Eagle (formerly endangered), Peregrin Falcon , & the Delmarva Fox Squirrel (endangered). As a kid I remember it not a common occurrence to see any of these, however, today - there is a really good chance you will see some if not all of the during your visit. Of course these are a few among many other residents including Osprey, ducks (20 species), turtles, snakes, numerous bird species (Blue Heron, Woodpecker, Red Wing Blackbird) and numerous Canadian Geese. One mammal worth noting is the South American Nutria - similar to the native Muskrat. These non-natives were introduced in the 1930's mainly due to the value of their furs. However they are extremely destructive to wetlands and the native plants. Therefore, eradication efforts began in the early 2000's to remove them from the refuge. They have virtually been eliminated from the area since.

There are also many plant species that are abundant. One of my favorites is a tree - the Loblolly Pine. It is common to these wetland areas and for a pine gets pretty big in size. The cool thing is you can see remnants of old trees from many years ago along the area where the wetlands and woodlands meet.

Ok so here are a few of the pictures I took during our quick stop. The crazy thing is (and I told my kids this) I can already see the effects of erosion in my lifetime. There are fewer trees on some of the points out into the river and I can also see where the edge of the forest is receding and giving way to the wetlands. Despite the ugly weather I hope you enjoy them. My plans are to return when the weather is better. Hopefully sometime this Fall.