President's Corner

The Baltimore Bird Club is scheduling more and more birding walks and events within the limits of Baltimore City. The club conducts over 200 events each year in the Baltimore County/Baltimore City area (our chapter territory) and more and more (over 60% now) are in the city. And the more we bird Baltimore, the more special birding places we find.

We’ve developed a great partnership with Enoch Pratt Free Library where we lead at least three walks each spring and three walks each fall migration season, all which start and end at any one of the 21 local community branches or even the Main Central Library. We’ve birded from the Cherry Hill, Roland Park, Walbrook, Brooklyn branches, and more. No matter where the branch is, there are patches of grass, trees, woods, and brush that hold a good variety of birds, and we find them. These are great opportunities for local community folk to experience birds in their neighborhoods, maybe for the first time. We provide experienced leaders and the library provides binoculars for those that don’t have them.

Some of my favorite Baltimore City birding areas:

Patterson Park • an urban oasis, that migrating birds going north in spring and south in fall find, within the concrete and asphalt city area next to the harbor, and stop to rest and feed before continuing on their journey. The National Audubon Society and Friends of Patterson Park maintain the boat lake and surrounding areas specifically for birds and birding habitat.

Masonville Cove • the nation’s first Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership, and home to a green building nature center and beautiful waterfront public trails. It’s great for waterbirds and migrants.

Gwynn’s Falls/Leakin Park • over 1200 acres of beautiful nature, and the walk from the Winan’s Meadow parking area to the Orianda Mansion is fabulous for Spring migrants.

Herring Run Park • a 375 acre peaceful outdoor space nestled in the heart of Baltimore City, and a birding gem in the spring.

Baltimore Harbor • including Rash Field Park, Federal Hill Park, the National Aquarium Wetlands, and the harbor itself. Rash Field Park is being developed with all native natural plants and trees, many specifically planted to attract birds. Federal Hill is awesome in fall and spring, the new Aquarium wetlands are already attracting new species to the harbor, and the harbor itself is a year-round home to waterbirds like ducks, geese, herons, cormorants, and different species of gulls and terns. 

Planned Enoch Pratt Walks Spring 2026

Check the Baltimore Bird Club website, https://baltimorebirdclub.org, as spring approaches, or check with the local library branch to get the information about any of these walks.

1) Light Street Branch (Baltimore Harbor)

2) Edmondson Avenue Branch (Gwynns Falls nearby)

3) Patterson Park Branch

4) Johnston Square Branch (Greenmount Cemetery nearby)