Howard County Bird Club
Schooley Mill Park Detailed Information
Encompassing an area of 192 acres, Schooley Mill Park has a certain charm because of its modest size and its
variety of habitats. It’s small enough to sample all of its habitats over the course of a morning, but large enough not to feel repetitive. The trails through the woods and fields are appropriate for those on foot or horseback, are lightly used, and are, therefore, highly conducive to leisurely nature study. At least 188 species of birds (plus two warbler hybrids) have been observed in and over the park.
Layout: Most human activity centers around the athletic fields and courts and the buildings in the center of the park. Activity in the remainder of the park tends to be walkers, joggers, horseback riders, and those interested in natural history. Wooded stream valleys form most of the outer boundary. The central section is primarily open fields; those between the athletic fields and the entrance are grass, but the areas beyond the soccer and baseball fields are brushy open fields with an abundance of goldenrod, spreading dogbane, milkweed, and some warm-season grasses. Shrubby areas and honeysuckle/multiflora rose thickets are scattered along the edge of the woods. A sediment pond is on the right just past the riding ring; two other small ponds (both on private property)—one in the woods below the campfire area and one close to the riding ring—are visible from the park in the winter.
Trails wind through the woods along the streams bordering the park. There are three major entrances to the main trail through the woods if you want to circle the park from within. These are shown as Trail Markers (TMs) 1, 2,
and 18 on the map. Or you can just walk along the edge of the woods until you find a trail leading in. Secondary
trails lead off the main trails; these either loop back, deadend at private property, or lead you to the open fields in the center of the park. Although the woodland trails are mulched, there may be some muddy areas after heavy rains. In addition to the wooded trails, wide mowed paths border the perimeter of the woods and crisscross the fields. These provide access to extensive edge and open field habitat. TMs 2, 22, and 40 are good access points as are the paths leading out beyond the soccer and baseball fields.
Best Time to Visit: Early to mid-morning in the spring and fall, mornings in winter. There are organized sports played here on the weekends (except in the winter) and on summer evenings. At peak playing times, the noise from the events on the soccer/football fields can be heard throughout the park, but, unless you’re very close to the fields, you can still hear the birds.
Birding: Wooded deciduous stream valleys form the perimeter of the park and are shown as light green on the park map. Breeding birds include Pileated Woodpecker, Acadian Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, Hooded and Kentucky warblers, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Ovenbird. Migrant warblers, vireos, and thrushes could include almost any regularly-occurring county species. The three county-breeding owls have all occurred here (Great Horned Owls have nested), although they have become less predictable in recent years.
Open unmown fields planted with warm-season grasses form the interior area of the park beyond the ball fields; the areas around the buildings and the equestrian jumping field are mowed grass. Both of these are shown as white on the map. The unmown interior fields (TM 23 through TM 34) can be very productive—here you can find field birds and edge birds, and it’s a great place to watch for flyovers of all sorts (one of the county’s major
Broad-winged Hawk flights was caught here). Breeding birds include Eastern Bluebird, Willow Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Prairie Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Blue Grosbeak, and Orchard Oriole. Northern Bobwhite used to be regular but the species has disappeared from Schooley Mill echoing the decline of this species throughout Howard County and much of the region. Migrating Lincoln’s Sparrows and wintering sparrows are most commonly found in this area of the park. Rarities have included Clay-colored Sparrow, Northern Shrike, Rough-legged Hawk, Golden Eagle, Alder Flycatcher, and Summer Tanager. Migrants can include Least Flycatcher, Blue-winged Warbler, and Lincoln’s Sparrow.
The aquatic habitat consists of a sediment pond, a beaver-created wetland (the extensive dams are a thing of beauty), and two small tributaries to the Patuxent River that wind through much of the perimeter of the park.
Schooley Mill Park’s proximity to the Patuxent River sometimes produces flyovers such as loons, cormorants, gulls, and waterfowl moving to or from Duckett (Rocky Gorge) Reservoir and Triadelphia Reservoir.
The sediment pond also regularly attracts breeding Tree Swallows as well as Barn Swallows—any swallow is possible, however. Occasional Green Herons and Great Blue Herons show up here as well. Spottted Sandpipers and Solitary Sandpipers stop along the edges during migration, and it is a summer home for Red-winged Blackbirds. King Rail and Marsh Wren also have been found in and around this pond. Vegetation is beginning to
reappear after the pond was drained and cleared out a few years ago.
The wetland created by the beavers (TM 10) is “terraced” into several levels—it is truly an architectural marvel. The architecture is best viewed during the winter months when the undergrowth has died off and you can walk
through the woods to various vantage points. The area includes open water, large swaths of cattails and smaller
amounts of Phragmites, and dead trees and snags. Small trickles of water seeping through the dams are ideal for bathing birds. Great Blue Herons and Green Herons are regular during the appropriate seasons. Wood Ducks nest here, and Swamp Sparrows frequent the area during migration and the winter months. There is a good view of the sky here so watch for flyovers (e.g. Common Raven!). Some of the other quality birds that have been found in this wetland are Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Virginia Rail, and Sora. The potential for something special to show up here exists any time of the year. As of late 2011 the dam had been breeched and there is a stream of water running through the area.
Highlights: The beaver pond (TM 10) is a lovely addition of wetland habitat, first appearing in the mid-90s. There are several large clumps of violet wood sorrel (Oxalis violacea) along the trails between TMs 10 and 13. Although bloom could be the entire month of May, the best period is mid to late May.
Handicapped Access: There are ramps from the parking lots up to the paved sidewalks that provide access to the buildings, tot lot, and sports fields.
Deer Hunts: Note that controlled deer hunts are held on a few days in fall and winter. Check specific dates elsewhere on this website.