Howard County Bird Club
Sykesville/River Road Detailed Information
This is the only portion of the park where there is extensive close vehicular access to the river. Coupled with the extensive scrubland habitat, it is one of the most interesting parts of the park.
Habitat: The section along the river is floodplain and mature deciduous woods. South along River Road, forest gives way to former farmland. Those openings and a pipeline crossing are now overgrown with grasses, shrubs, and small trees creating a successional scrubland habitat for the near future.
Layout: From Sykesville, River Road runs south under the Route 32 bridge and follows close beside the South Branch of the Patapsco River for about a mile. This is not a fee area. Here the river forms the boundary between Howard County and Carroll County. The road is so close to the river that there are no trails except for one short one that leads up a small stream valley south from the parking area. At the southeast edge of the section, a riverside trail begins and runs east, generally along the river, for approximately three miles to Henryton Road.
Approximately 1.2 miles farther south on River Road a pipeline crossing gives access to a network of several miles of trails in overgrown former farmland. There is parking along the shoulder for a few cars.
Best Time to Visit: March through May; September to early October. Late winter/early spring evenings in the scrubland are good for American Woodcock. Wild Turkeys may also be heard in early spring, especially near dawn. Summer is good for nesting birds and riverine dragonflies. In warmer weather, the area along the river is very popular and best visited on a weekday. Check with the Department of Natural Resources at http://www.dnr.state.md.us for seasonal hunting dates along the river south of River Road and in the scrubland.
Birding:
River area – The forested section at the river is birded by walking the road which runs along a low bank close to the river. Listen for Northern Parula, Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, and other migrant and resident warblers. The short trail along the stream near the parking lot may have Wood Thrushes and other interior forest
birds. Walk north along the road to the Route 32 Bridge and look up under the south edge of the south bridge to observe the Cliff Swallow nesting colony.
Shrubland area – Approximately 1.2 miles farther south on River Road, there is room for two or three cars to park on the shoulder at a pipeline crossing. Take care not to block access. Even if the gate is open, DO NOT park in the nearby parking lot which is by hunter permit only. The grassy trails in this area are often wet and have some
muddy sections. Take tick precautions!
Walk east along the pipeline and soon a grass trail will lead off to the right. Look and listen in the open, shrubby area to the left of the trail for Yellow and Blue-winged warblers, Yellow-breasted Chats, Orchard Orioles, and Indigo Buntings. The wet woods to the right of the trail can have a variety of warblers and in the winter is good for sparrows, including Fox Sparrow. The trail will circle around to the left and cross the pipeline. A house will come into view and you will reach a trail junction in about a half mile.
Take the right trail to continue beyond a pasture into a second area of overgrown field surrounded by woods. Later in the spring, Blue-winged Warblers may be in this area. There is a potentially confusing network of trails on this plateau. Trails lead down to the Patapsco River to the northeast or to the pipeline to the southwest. A
PVSP complete trail map and compass and/or GPS device are recommended for travel here. The professionally produced PVSP “Complete Trail Map” is recommended.
Take the left grass path up a slight grade through tall grasses and scattered shrubs to loop back toward the parking area. The path will parallel a driveway with the scrubland to the left and pastures to the right. Scan the open sky for swallows, swifts, and flyovers of vultures and raptors. Eastern Bluebirds, Chipping Sparrows, and Baltimore Orioles are common here in season. The trail will stay on the left side of the driveway almost back to River Road where it bears left past the hunters’ parking lot and back to the pipeline, completing a loop of about a mile. The large conifers and extensive lawns on private property across the road can have finches and orioles.
Highlights: Easy access to the Patapsco River and Cliff Swallow nests under the Route 32 bridge. Successional scrubland habitat with species unusual for the PVSP.
Handicapped Access: There is roadside birding at the river from the small parking lot 0.6 miles south of the MD 32 bridge and shoulder pullouts. The trails are unimproved. A short, generally level trail leads up a stream valley. The scrubland trails are generally level or contain moderate slopes with occasional muddy areas.