The Free State landscape is as varied as it is scenic and historic. Many consider Maryland to be the
U.S.A. in miniature. Her western counties from Frederick to Garrett, are characterized by plush forested hills, crystal clear streams, abundant wildlife and stunning Appalachian vistas.
East of the mountains, the landscape transforms into rolling bountiful farmlands of
The Eastern Piedmont, which traverses the center of the state toward the mighty Chesapeake.
Across the Bay, Eastern Shore flatland culminates along pristine Atlantic beaches.
From the mountains, to the prairies, to the ocean...this Series will chronicle the abundant opportunities that anxiously await the Maryland outdoor photographer.
A Photographer’s Guide to the Wildlife
of Calvert County
Broad-headed Skink in Calvert County
Our journey through Maryland begins in Calvert County, a favorite region of my home turf. My introduction to this bay-coastal “Charm of the Chesapeake” began many years ago. Like always, I was just seeking adventure and a few new places to explore.
Since first starting out, some of my favorite subjects to photograph have been those creepy, crawly things that inhabit the swamps, dunes, trails and woodlands of my home state and beyond.
So for me, the diversity of habitat and abundance of life within Calvert’s borders were a godsend!
Kings Landing Park
Our peek at Calvert County begins at Kings Landing, a quaint little park nestled on the banks of the Patuxent River in Huntington, Maryland…Northwest of Prince Frederick.
The primary draw to Kings is an abundance of Green Tree Frogs.
When asked where one might go to photograph tree frogs in Maryland, Kings Landing is the first place that comes to mind.
The frogs can usually be found clinging to the greenery of roadside brush near the entrance to the park. They are most prevalent during the late summer and fall months.
Late May and early June seem to be the best times to witness the peak of the Needham's hatch. If you park near the swimming pool, it's a short walk to the Meadow Maze Trail, where these and other dragons fly in search of prey.
I usually visit this park as a side trip, on the way home from parks and public areas further south. More often than not, a diversion to Kings Landing is graced with enough photos and rewarding experiences to make the side trip worth while.
Park Address:
3255 Kings Landing Road
Huntington, Maryland
Open Year-round…after 9:00 AM (No Fee)
Flag Ponds Nature Park
The allure of Flag Ponds centers around exploring its beaches, dunes, wetlands and nature trails where an abundance of life usually awaits.
I’ve found that the best time to explore the beaches is spring or early summer, before droves of basking sunbathers overcome the sands.
The beaches at Flag Ponds are purported to host populations of two species of rare and endangered tiger beetles, Cicindela puritana and Cicindela dorsalis.
(A big chunk of the dunes have been closed off to foot traffic in an effort to preserve the habitat of these two species.) I’ve been to F.P. many times searching for these guys, and I have never seen either one.…but they DO exist there.
Thankfully, there are enough common tiger beetles, robber flies, and other critters skittering and flying around the beaches to keep one’s trigger finger busy on a hot sunny day.
Cicindela hirticollis Tiger Beetle
For the dragonfly aficionados, Skimmers, Dashers, Dragonlets and many others can be found along the beaches and freshwater ponds. Especially along the Duncan Pond Trail, where Odes fly in abundance from May through July.
Great Blue Skimmer (Libellula vibrans)
Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta)
My primary photographic objectives when visiting Flag Ponds are the herps.
…Lizards, turtles, snakes, toads, frogs, salamanders…they’re all there!
Diamondback Terrapin Hatchling (Malaclemys terrapin)
This cute little D.B. hatchling, barely the size of a half-dollar, was found at a ravished nest at one of the small ponds near the beach.
(Raccoons and skunks like to dig up and consume developing terrapin eggs.)
Of the tiny turtles that successfully hatch, most are quickly gobbled up by birds, crabs and other predators, so the survival rate is low and the species is quite fragile.
...hopefully, this was one of the luckier ones.
One of my favorite Flag Ponds stories to tell, is about the day I spent two hours sweating in blistering heat…being drained by mosquitoes, trying to get one decent photograph of a Six-lined Racerunner lizard.
Anyone familiar with this elusive species knows that they are lightning fast, and they are notoriously camera shy. What I quickly learned, is that it’s usually fruitless to attempt to chase one across the sandy flats to get a shot…while he’s racing about living up to his name and reputation.
What I discovered that day, is that a spooked Racerunner lizard will eventually return to its favorite basking spot, where it can be easily photographed.
All it takes is preparation, patience, persistence, and a few pints of blood.
Six-lined Racerunner (Aspidoscelis sexlineata)
Other lizard species, likely to be easier to photograph, include Five-lined and Broad-headed Skinks, Eastern Fence Lizards and (more rare) Ground Skinks.
Typical snake species I’ve encountered at Flag Ponds include Rat Snakes, Garter Snakes, Racers, Worm Snakes, Eastern Hognose…and the occasional Copperhead.
Eastern Worm Snake (Carphophis amoenus amoenus)
Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon platirhinos)
…And in early summer, tiny toads own the sandy flats and dunes, sometimes in numbers that almost seem biblical in proportion! There are times when one must be careful not to crush them underfoot while hiking a trail.
Flag Ponds is a County Park…with gated fee access. The park gates open at 9:00 AM, but with a limited schedule.
Memorial Day through Labor Day
Monday-Friday 9:00 - 6:00
Saturday and Sunday 9:00 - 8:00
Labor Day Through Memorial Day
Friday and Monday 9:00 - 4:00
Saturday and Sunday 9:00 - 5:00
Closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
PLEASE…If you are planning a visit there, especially off-season, be aware of these times so your highly anticipated plans don’t go to crap when you arrive to a locked gate!
Park Address:
1525 Flag Ponds Parkway
Lusby, Maryland 20657
Calvert Cliffs State Park
Most people who visit Calvert Cliffs come in search of fossils.
The Cliffs area, and its adjacent beaches, have been highly chronicled for discoveries of teeth and other fossilized remains of ancient sharks, whales and other vertebrates…some dating back to the Miocene Era 10 to 20 million years ago.
Recent landslides (and a few over-adventurous folks, armed with picks and shovels) have prompted the closure of access to the fragile, fossil-rich cliffs area of the State Park’s border with the Chesapeake.
Fossil hunters are now, only allowed to optically vacuum the sandy beach for a few hundred yards to the right of the trail’s end.
Fossil Hunting at Calvert Cliffs State Park
For nature photographers, this restriction is seen as a good thing. It means that a lot fewer (noisy) folks are hiking the trails toward the beach.
When visiting Calvert Cliffs SP in search of wildlife, be prepared to do some hiking.
There are several marked trails, most of which eventually end at the Chesapeake Bay.
Along the way, you will experience woodlands and wetland swamps teeming with life!
Typical Wetland Habitat along the Red Trail
Northern Cricket Frog (Acris crepitans)
Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)
Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus)
A friend once described his first visit to Calvert Cliffs State Park as "..A trip through Wild Kingdom."
Along the Red Trail, you will likely encounter a member of just about every lizard species inhabiting southern Maryland…and most of Calvert County’s frogs and terrapins.
A diverse array of dragonfly/damselfly species will also test your photographic prowess, as you attempt to capture those beauties in flight…while praying that one will land and remain stationary while you creep closer.
Blue Dasher (Pachydiplax longipennis)
For the bird photographers…
Look for Great Blue Herons feeding in the marshes, Red-headed Woodpeckers navigating among the standing dead timber, and the occasional Bald Eagle soaring overhead.
Red-headed Woodpecker (Menalerpes erythrocephalus)
If you’re at CCSP early in the morning, and not in the mood for a hike…
You can easily spend a few productive hours around the pond near the parking area.
You will find plenty of frogs, turtles, dragonflies, damsels, and other creatures to photograph.
(During the summer months, I often do the “pond thing” early in the morning to kill time…while waiting for nearby Flag Ponds to open.)
Bullfrog at "The Pond"
Calvert Cliffs is a fee-accessed, un-gated State Park.
An honor system allows you to pay the $5:00 per vehicle fee and enter the park before the Park Ranger arrives.
…great news for us early risers!
Park Address:
10540 H.G. Trueman Road
Lusby, Maryland
Cove Point Park
A little further south from the entrance to Calvert Cliffs, you will find Cove Point Park.
As you drive through, you will notice nothing more than a bunch of playgrounds and ball fields. When you explore further, you will hear the familiar cries of ospreys screaming from overhead.
It seems that these fish eagles have discovered that the light towers surrounding the ball fields at Cove Point were the perfect places to build their nests and raise their young.
During the spring months, you’ll watch male ospreys circling and gliding over vacant fields… either seeking a mate or bearing sustenance from nearby waters to sate broods of hungry offspring.
You will observe them as they ascend onto massive nests, likely years in the making. While some are romantically pairing, other ospreys are delivering bounties of fresh fish to those waiting at home.
I often consider Cove Point Park as a side trip…when I have a little time to kill, or when I just need to fulfill my photo-fix with some easy osprey action!
Park Address:
750 Cove Point Road
Lusby, Maryland
Gates open from 8:30 AM until 11:00 PM…from mid-March through mid-November
(no fee)
The best time to photograph the ospreys is April and May…when they’re mating and nesting.
Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum
Located along the shores of the lower Patuxent River, JPPM is best known for its historic human heritage. This 560 acre tract of real estate boasts documented human habitation, dating back 9,000 years when primitive man worked the land and its waters.
If you’re a human history buff, this park and museum will surely pique your interest. Here’s a link to provide more information:
Algonquin Village at Jefferson Patterson
If you’re a wildlife photographer like me, you will likely be driving past all of that stuff…and headed straight for the beach!
From the main entrance off Rt #265 (Mackall Road)…follow the park access road until it ends. Make a left, and head south.
The road becomes quite narrow, but keep going.
Eventually, the road will end along the sandy shore of the lower Patuxent River, with parking for only a few vehicles. On weekdays, it’s highly unlikely that you will find anyone else there, so parking should not be a problem.
The major draws to this remote beach are the Seaside Dragonlets and Tiger Beetles.
Both seem to really thrive along the beach-front at Jefferson Patterson.
I’m all of my travels, I’ve never witnessed such impressive numbers of flying, skittering, and resting subjects!
Margined Tiger Beetle (Cicindela marginata)
Seaside Dragonlets (Erythrodiplax berenice)
The best time of year, for both the dragons and the beetles, is late April through July.
If you are lucky enough to hit Jefferson Patterson during low tide, you can start hiking toward the left of the parking area to access miles of un-spoiled, pristine beach habitat.
You may also decide to park at the Canoe Parking area...then hike a quarter-mile or so down the gravel road to the canoe launch site.
(You can drive all the way down to the launch site, but you are not allowed to park your vehicle there.)
From this access, you can explore virgin beachfront in both directions.
If you should happen upon a nesting Diamondback Terrapin along the way…please get your photos quickly, and leave her alone.
Park Address:
10515 Mackall Road
Saint Leonard, Maryland 20685
Access to the park is available year-round, from 7:30 AM until dusk (except for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Day)
There is no fee.
Our trip through Calvert County, Maryland ends…but the expedition continues.
In upcoming chapters in this Series we will explore many more fascinating parks and recreational areas within the Free State’s boundaries.
In the next issue...we'll head to the mountains.
…stay tuned!
Sunrise at Sideling Hill
© Bob Cammarata 2015
bobcammarata.blogspot.com
No portion of this material may be copied or used without permission
East of the mountains, the landscape transforms into rolling bountiful farmlands of
The Eastern Piedmont, which traverses the center of the state toward the mighty Chesapeake.
Across the Bay, Eastern Shore flatland culminates along pristine Atlantic beaches.
From the mountains, to the prairies, to the ocean...this Series will chronicle the abundant opportunities that anxiously await the Maryland outdoor photographer.
A Photographer’s Guide to the Wildlife
of Calvert County
Our journey through Maryland begins in Calvert County, a favorite region of my home turf. My introduction to this bay-coastal “Charm of the Chesapeake” began many years ago. Like always, I was just seeking adventure and a few new places to explore.
Since first starting out, some of my favorite subjects to photograph have been those creepy, crawly things that inhabit the swamps, dunes, trails and woodlands of my home state and beyond.
So for me, the diversity of habitat and abundance of life within Calvert’s borders were a godsend!
Kings Landing Park
Our peek at Calvert County begins at Kings Landing, a quaint little park nestled on the banks of the Patuxent River in Huntington, Maryland…Northwest of Prince Frederick.
The primary draw to Kings is an abundance of Green Tree Frogs.
When asked where one might go to photograph tree frogs in Maryland, Kings Landing is the first place that comes to mind.
The frogs can usually be found clinging to the greenery of roadside brush near the entrance to the park. They are most prevalent during the late summer and fall months.
I’ve also witnessed some prolific hatches of Needham’s Skimmer Dragonflies at Kings Landing. The brief, early summer flight patterns of these Odes can be hit or miss.
I’ve been fortunate to have been there when the fields and marshes were alive with scores of flapping, gossamer wings…only to arrive on subsequent years without seeing a single one.
Late May and early June seem to be the best times to witness the peak of the Needham's hatch. If you park near the swimming pool, it's a short walk to the Meadow Maze Trail, where these and other dragons fly in search of prey.
I usually visit this park as a side trip, on the way home from parks and public areas further south. More often than not, a diversion to Kings Landing is graced with enough photos and rewarding experiences to make the side trip worth while.
Park Address:
3255 Kings Landing Road
Huntington, Maryland
Open Year-round…after 9:00 AM (No Fee)
Flag Ponds Nature Park
The allure of Flag Ponds centers around exploring its beaches, dunes, wetlands and nature trails where an abundance of life usually awaits.
I’ve found that the best time to explore the beaches is spring or early summer, before droves of basking sunbathers overcome the sands.
The beaches at Flag Ponds are purported to host populations of two species of rare and endangered tiger beetles, Cicindela puritana and Cicindela dorsalis.
(A big chunk of the dunes have been closed off to foot traffic in an effort to preserve the habitat of these two species.) I’ve been to F.P. many times searching for these guys, and I have never seen either one.…but they DO exist there.
Thankfully, there are enough common tiger beetles, robber flies, and other critters skittering and flying around the beaches to keep one’s trigger finger busy on a hot sunny day.
For the dragonfly aficionados, Skimmers, Dashers, Dragonlets and many others can be found along the beaches and freshwater ponds. Especially along the Duncan Pond Trail, where Odes fly in abundance from May through July.
My primary photographic objectives when visiting Flag Ponds are the herps.
…Lizards, turtles, snakes, toads, frogs, salamanders…they’re all there!
(Raccoons and skunks like to dig up and consume developing terrapin eggs.)
Of the tiny turtles that successfully hatch, most are quickly gobbled up by birds, crabs and other predators, so the survival rate is low and the species is quite fragile.
...hopefully, this was one of the luckier ones.
One of my favorite Flag Ponds stories to tell, is about the day I spent two hours sweating in blistering heat…being drained by mosquitoes, trying to get one decent photograph of a Six-lined Racerunner lizard.
Anyone familiar with this elusive species knows that they are lightning fast, and they are notoriously camera shy. What I quickly learned, is that it’s usually fruitless to attempt to chase one across the sandy flats to get a shot…while he’s racing about living up to his name and reputation.
What I discovered that day, is that a spooked Racerunner lizard will eventually return to its favorite basking spot, where it can be easily photographed.
All it takes is preparation, patience, persistence, and a few pints of blood.
Typical snake species I’ve encountered at Flag Ponds include Rat Snakes, Garter Snakes, Racers, Worm Snakes, Eastern Hognose…and the occasional Copperhead.
…And in early summer, tiny toads own the sandy flats and dunes, sometimes in numbers that almost seem biblical in proportion! There are times when one must be careful not to crush them underfoot while hiking a trail.
Flag Ponds is a County Park…with gated fee access. The park gates open at 9:00 AM, but with a limited schedule.
Memorial Day through Labor Day
Monday-Friday 9:00 - 6:00
Saturday and Sunday 9:00 - 8:00
Labor Day Through Memorial Day
Friday and Monday 9:00 - 4:00
Saturday and Sunday 9:00 - 5:00
Closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
PLEASE…If you are planning a visit there, especially off-season, be aware of these times so your highly anticipated plans don’t go to crap when you arrive to a locked gate!
Park Address:
1525 Flag Ponds Parkway
Lusby, Maryland 20657
Calvert Cliffs State Park
Most people who visit Calvert Cliffs come in search of fossils.
The Cliffs area, and its adjacent beaches, have been highly chronicled for discoveries of teeth and other fossilized remains of ancient sharks, whales and other vertebrates…some dating back to the Miocene Era 10 to 20 million years ago.
Recent landslides (and a few over-adventurous folks, armed with picks and shovels) have prompted the closure of access to the fragile, fossil-rich cliffs area of the State Park’s border with the Chesapeake.
Fossil hunters are now, only allowed to optically vacuum the sandy beach for a few hundred yards to the right of the trail’s end.
For nature photographers, this restriction is seen as a good thing. It means that a lot fewer (noisy) folks are hiking the trails toward the beach.
When visiting Calvert Cliffs SP in search of wildlife, be prepared to do some hiking.
There are several marked trails, most of which eventually end at the Chesapeake Bay.
Along the way, you will experience woodlands and wetland swamps teeming with life!
A friend once described his first visit to Calvert Cliffs State Park as "..A trip through Wild Kingdom."
Along the Red Trail, you will likely encounter a member of just about every lizard species inhabiting southern Maryland…and most of Calvert County’s frogs and terrapins.
A diverse array of dragonfly/damselfly species will also test your photographic prowess, as you attempt to capture those beauties in flight…while praying that one will land and remain stationary while you creep closer.
For the bird photographers…
Look for Great Blue Herons feeding in the marshes, Red-headed Woodpeckers navigating among the standing dead timber, and the occasional Bald Eagle soaring overhead.
If you’re at CCSP early in the morning, and not in the mood for a hike…
You can easily spend a few productive hours around the pond near the parking area.
You will find plenty of frogs, turtles, dragonflies, damsels, and other creatures to photograph.
(During the summer months, I often do the “pond thing” early in the morning to kill time…while waiting for nearby Flag Ponds to open.)
Calvert Cliffs is a fee-accessed, un-gated State Park.
An honor system allows you to pay the $5:00 per vehicle fee and enter the park before the Park Ranger arrives.
…great news for us early risers!
Park Address:
10540 H.G. Trueman Road
Lusby, Maryland
Cove Point Park
A little further south from the entrance to Calvert Cliffs, you will find Cove Point Park.
As you drive through, you will notice nothing more than a bunch of playgrounds and ball fields. When you explore further, you will hear the familiar cries of ospreys screaming from overhead.
It seems that these fish eagles have discovered that the light towers surrounding the ball fields at Cove Point were the perfect places to build their nests and raise their young.
During the spring months, you’ll watch male ospreys circling and gliding over vacant fields… either seeking a mate or bearing sustenance from nearby waters to sate broods of hungry offspring.
You will observe them as they ascend onto massive nests, likely years in the making. While some are romantically pairing, other ospreys are delivering bounties of fresh fish to those waiting at home.
I often consider Cove Point Park as a side trip…when I have a little time to kill, or when I just need to fulfill my photo-fix with some easy osprey action!
Park Address:
750 Cove Point Road
Lusby, Maryland
Gates open from 8:30 AM until 11:00 PM…from mid-March through mid-November
(no fee)
The best time to photograph the ospreys is April and May…when they’re mating and nesting.
Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum
Located along the shores of the lower Patuxent River, JPPM is best known for its historic human heritage. This 560 acre tract of real estate boasts documented human habitation, dating back 9,000 years when primitive man worked the land and its waters.
If you’re a human history buff, this park and museum will surely pique your interest. Here’s a link to provide more information:
If you’re a wildlife photographer like me, you will likely be driving past all of that stuff…and headed straight for the beach!
From the main entrance off Rt #265 (Mackall Road)…follow the park access road until it ends. Make a left, and head south.
The road becomes quite narrow, but keep going.
Eventually, the road will end along the sandy shore of the lower Patuxent River, with parking for only a few vehicles. On weekdays, it’s highly unlikely that you will find anyone else there, so parking should not be a problem.
The major draws to this remote beach are the Seaside Dragonlets and Tiger Beetles.
Both seem to really thrive along the beach-front at Jefferson Patterson.
I’m all of my travels, I’ve never witnessed such impressive numbers of flying, skittering, and resting subjects!
The best time of year, for both the dragons and the beetles, is late April through July.
If you are lucky enough to hit Jefferson Patterson during low tide, you can start hiking toward the left of the parking area to access miles of un-spoiled, pristine beach habitat.
You may also decide to park at the Canoe Parking area...then hike a quarter-mile or so down the gravel road to the canoe launch site.
(You can drive all the way down to the launch site, but you are not allowed to park your vehicle there.)
From this access, you can explore virgin beachfront in both directions.
If you should happen upon a nesting Diamondback Terrapin along the way…please get your photos quickly, and leave her alone.
Park Address:
10515 Mackall Road
Saint Leonard, Maryland 20685
Access to the park is available year-round, from 7:30 AM until dusk (except for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s Day)
There is no fee.
Our trip through Calvert County, Maryland ends…but the expedition continues.
In upcoming chapters in this Series we will explore many more fascinating parks and recreational areas within the Free State’s boundaries.
In the next issue...we'll head to the mountains.
…stay tuned!
© Bob Cammarata 2015
bobcammarata.blogspot.com
No portion of this material may be copied or used without permission
So excited! Visiting Calvert Beach-Long Beach for a two night cam pout, and hope to find an abundance of herps! ( Preferably lizards because we get no commonly found lizards around where I live).
ReplyDeleteWe plan to visit Flag pond beach while were there
Delete