Good Birding Spots along the Jones Falls in Baltimore, MD

1. Woodberry to Cold Spring Lane

From Hamden, head west across the 41st Street bridge. After passing Fox 45, turn right on Girard Ave, then take an immediate right on Hooper Ave. Go one block, then turn right onto Rockrose Ave. Again travel one block (downhill), then turn left onto Clipper Road. After the stone house on the right, park near the gate (a small playground will be on your left.)

Walk through the gate on the gravel path. An old baseball field appears on your left. Cross this field and take the small trail that begins in the left-field corner. Soon an old gravel road comes in from the left, leading down from the towers of TV Hill. Rather than heading up the hill, bear right when this road comes in. The gravel road will wind fairly close to the Jones Falls Expressway and then widen and become paved as it nears a wide turn in the Jones Falls. One first walks through an open, brushy area and then some rather dense woods. The birding in both of these habitats is quite good. Although one has some excellent views of the river initially, the paved road -- which can be walked all the way to Cold Spring Lane, roughly a mile -- turns away from the river as one nears the water storage tank at Cold Spring.

Birds to Look For:

Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird and orioles in open area as approaching river. Warbling Vireo in sycamores across the river. Great Blue Heron, Wood Duck, and Mallard in river. American Kestrel on or near water tank. Red-bellied and Hairy Woodpecker, Acadian Flycatcher, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Wood Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern Towhee in forest

2. Across from Druid Hill Park

(NOTE: This birding area involves walking along the Light Rail Line and therefore should be explored only on Sunday mornings, when the Rail does not begin operating until 11:00 a.m.)

From 36th Street in Hamden, takes Falls Road south. Do not get on the JFX, but bear left so you stay on Falls Road. The road winds and enters a more wooded area. Soon Clipper Mill Road enters from the right. From this point, continue another 6/10 of a mile on Falls Road and park on the east side of the road, just beyond the Potts & Callahan sheds, under the second (28th Street) of the two high bridges that pass overhead.

Walk back north on Falls Road, past the Potts & Callahan building on the west side. Pass under the high arching stone bridge of 29,h Street. Just 50 yards beyond, take the small overgrown path on the west (left-hand) side of the road. This trail will lead you across the Jones Falls on a curious curved bridge, with a picturesque view of the "Horseshoe Falls." Carefully climb the bank on the other side (watch for poison ivy) and arrive at the Light Rail tracks. Walk north along (but not on) the tracks for over a mile. Several times you will have good views of the Jones Falls from the railbed. There are also spots where you can easily walk down to the river through the woods. Despite occasional noise from the JFX (not bad on Sunday mornings), the birding is good all the way to the Woodberry Light Rail stop. Looking north from the spot where the Light Rail passes under the JFX is especially productive for ducks.

Birds to Look For:

Great Blue Heron, Night-Herons (both species), Wood Duck, Mallard, Belted Kingfisher, Northern Flicker, Eastern Kingbird, Carolina Wren, American Goldfinch

3. Mount Washington

Just north of the Mt. Washington Mill area, turn off of Falls Road onto Asbury Avenue. There is a nice view of the Jones Falls from the fence at the end of this street. Walk south along this fence. Soon the vegetation will become too lush to continue directly along the water, but keep birding the open wooded area behind the backyards of Asbury. Soon you'll be on the picnic grounds of the small Divine Life Church on Falls Rd.

Continue south on Falls Rd. and turn at Smith Ave., entering the Mill area. Quietly check the water from the edge of the Fresh Fields parking lot, as the Lake Roland herons frequently feed here.

Drive farther south on Falls Rd. and turn right to descend the steep hill of Mattfeldt Avenue. Park at the bottom of the hill and walk through the small grassy park on the right (west) side of the road. Although the views of the river here are well hidden by a fence and vegetation, a number of good songbirds can be seen here and night-herons sometimes roost in these trees. (CAUTION: Be extremely careful if you choose to leave via the southern end of Mattfeldt. The turn onto Northern Parkway has poor visibility and is dangerous. It is much better to leave Mattfeldt via the large hill you descended from Falls Road.)

Birds to Look For:

Pileated Woodpecker, wrens, Warbling Vireo, Yellow Warbler, orioles, American Goldfinch at Asbury and Mattfeldt. Green Heron, Night-Herons (both species) and Mallard near Fresh Fields, Barn Swallow at Smith Avenue bridge.

--Brian Rollfinke
Baltimore Bird Club

To Brian Rollfinke's list of Summer Birds of the Jones Falls
To Baltimore Bird Club page