Allegany County Birding Site Guide

Map of ALL Allegany County Birding Sites

Rocky Gap State Park:

Coordinates:: 39.700908 N, -78.652125 W; The Parking Lot

Rocky Gap is perhaps the most important birding site in Allegany County with more rare bird sightings than anywhere else. J.B. Churchill discovered a Piping Plover early one April morning (April 30^th, 2005) that was seen by several observers later the next day. Immediately after Hurricane Isabel (Sept 19^th 2003), Ray Kiddy, J.B. Churchill and Cameron Cox found a Red Phalarope, an American Golden Plover and some Common Terns here. Other birds that have been seen here include Short-billed Dowitcher, Caspian, Common, and Forster’s Terns, White-winged, and Surf Scoters, and Snow Bunting. Sometimes there are large congregations of Tundra Swans in November or March and the best waterfowl watching and most of the uncommon waterfowl sightings are from the park. The park is accessed from Interstate 68 at Exit 50. Go North of the Interstate and go straight into the parking lot straight ahead. A $2.00 fee may be collected during the summer months.

Cumberland Terminus (C&O Canal):

Coordinates: 39.64405306 N, -78.76404170 W

Starting from Interstate 68 (mile 0), take exit 43b (Industrial Boulevard; Route 51) and head South of the Interstate for a short distance. Stay to the right and turn right following the brown sign for Canal Parkway. Turn right just before the Power Station at 0.6 miles. Follow the dirt road almost to the canal and park on the grass (not on the canal). Scope the river out from here. It may be useful to walk downriver a little bit (up to or perhaps even past the 184 mile marker). Rare birds reported from the Cumberland Terminus include Yellow Rail, Least Tern, American Avocet, and the counties only Lesser Black-backed Gull. The Potomac River here regularly attracts waterfowl. Such desirable species as Long-tailed Duck, Gadwall, all three Mergansers, Canvasback, Pintail, and Goldeneye have been seen here. When the water level is low and there are small islands of exposed substrate, there can be shorebirds. I've seen Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Baird's, and White-rumped Sandpipers among the more common species. The only Black-crowned Night-herons I've ever seen in the county were along the bank of the river here. The river is a corridor for migration and is a good spot for finding swallows and migrating nighthawks (though nighthawks are easy to find in Cumberland and Frostburg during the summer).

North Branch (C&O Canal):

Coordinates:: 39.58596823 N, -78.74457389 W; The Tarps

This is the best shorebirding spot in Allegany County. The shorebird tarps are on private property so it is important not to trespass. The birds can be viewed without trespassing by viewing from outside the fence along the road or even from the C&O Canal towpath (park on the Canal Side across from the center gate of the treatment facility and walk up onto the path). In the fall, birds start showing up in late July and are typically present in good numbers until mid-September especially when they are grounded by a storm. When a summer storm occurs, I often head to North Branch as soon as the rain stops. This strategy works pretty well and some birds may stick around for a while. When the skies have been clear for several days, all the birds that have eaten well tend to move on. Birds that can be found here regularly are Least, Semipalmated, Solitary, and Spotted Sandpipers, Killdeer, Semipalmated Plovers, and both Yellowlegs. Baird’s Sandpipers are annual here in late August. Special treats are White-rumped, Western and Stilt Sandpipers, Sanderling, Black-bellied Plover, and Wilson’s Phalarope. Ray Kiddy found a Whimbrel here May 25^th(2002). From I-68 in Cumberland, take exit 43b (Industrial Boulevard) south. Go about 4.5 miles +/- and look for a brown sign for the North Branch C&O Canal access. Turn right onto PPG Road and make the first left turn onto River Road. You can park in the lot and walk down or drive on back (but don’t block access to the facility during business hours and never trespass by going behind the gates).

Spring Gap (C&O Canal):

Coordinates:: 39.5642382 N, -78.7191653 W; at the Parking Spot

This is a C&O Canal access site. If you walk north you head towards North Branch. If you walk south you are heading towards Oldtown. This area (especially just to the north) is often good for Yellow-throated Warblers. Traditionally there have been Prothonotary Warblers here but not in recent years. There are usually several Louisianna Waterthrushes here.

Oldtown (C&O Canal):

Coordinates:: 39.5398345 N, -78.6117804 W; at the Parking Spot

This is a C&O Canal access site where you can park and walk along the Canal north towards Spring Gap or South towards Town Creek Aquaduct. The site can be accessed from Cumberland by travelling South and East of Cumberland on Route 51 (Oldtown Road) and turning right on Opessa Street. Opessa Street runs parallel to Route 51 for just under one mile. Turn right at Green Spring Road, go about 1/10 mile and turn right into the parking lot just before you get to the canal.

Town Creek Aquaduct (C&O Canal):

Coordinates:: 39.52340981 N, -78.54395564 W; at the Aquaduct

This is where Town Creek enters into the Potomac River. It is just beyond Green Ridge Road on the right as you travel south and east. The entrance is just a dirt road that turns back to the right and parallels Route 51. Park at the end or somewhere in between (fully off the road of course) and enter the Canal. Walking south and east takes you towards the Paw Paw Tunnel. Walking north takes you towards Oldtown. The area to the south (off to your left as you walk towards Cumberland) can be very good for sparrows in the winter.

Paw Paw Tunnel (C&O Canal):

Coordinates:: 39.5447159 N, -78.4605145 W; at the Parking Spot

This spot is often good for Yellow-throated and Cerulean Warblers. There should also be Orchard and Baltimore Orioles in the area. This site is about as far out Route 51 as you can go before you enter Paw Paw West Virginia. The tunnel was built to allow the canal to bypass steep terrain near the river.Its worth looking at the tunnel which is North of the parking area (walk away from Route 51 rather than passing back under it). It is 3,118 feet long. Walking through the tunnel, I have been fooled by the light at the end. The light at the end gets larger as you go but when I look back the way I came, I'm often surprised at how far I still have left to go.

Warrior Mountain:

Coordinates: 39.605036 N, -78.602316 W; Good Warbler Stop

Warning ... There may be a lot of deer hunters out here during hunting season.
Take Route 51 South from I-68 (exit 43b) for about 12.4 miles. Turn left on East Wilson Road at the 2nd Opportunity where East Wilson is directly across from Opessa Road (reset odometer here; mile 0). Go approximately 2 miles and turn right on Ruby Road. Stay on Ruby when it veers to the right avoiding Levi road. Feel free to stop along the way but be aware that there is a lot of private property along the way. There are some good stops after you get through the woods where some smaller trees line the roads (approximately mile 4.5 - 4.8). I've found lots of warblers in these spots. One spring I found a Red-Headed Woodpecker. Driving along Ruby or Oliver Beltz Road can be a good way to spot a Ruffed Grouse. A good way to bird this area is to continue on Ruby until it ends at Oliver Beltz Road (mile 5.8). An option (at mile 6.8) is the left turn onto Spanish Leather Road (if your car can navigate this narrow road with lots of ruts). Bird the woods and fields in the WMA along this road. Then continue West on Oliver Beltz. If you need to, reset your odometer (0/6.8). At mile 2.3/9.1, there is another pull-off where you can bird the field and woods-edge. Then continue on. At mile 3.9/10.7, turn left onto Cresap Mill Road which completes the loop back to Route 51 in about 5 miles (mile 8.9/15.7).

Town Hill:

39.6978013 N, -78.4010875 W

at the Town Hill Hotel

This is probably the best Hawkwatching site in Western Maryland. There can be good flights of Broad-winged Hawks in mid to late September. Accipiters and Falcons arrive soon after that, buteos like Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawks start moving through. The site is best known for the numbers of Golden Eagles seen later in the Fall (very late October and throughout November). In Northwest Winds viewing is usually best on the lawn just west of the parking lot and the raptors fly over the roof of the hotel heading west or head on. In Northeast Winds viewing is often better from the parking lot with birds flying mostly overhead or occasionally moving through the valley to the east. Lucky visitors may see some winter finches such as Pine Siskins, Purple Finches, or possibly even Red Crossbills or Evening Grosbeaks. It is also a spot where we have seen migrant Red-headed Woodpeckers. The Town Hill Hotel is a Bed and Breakfast style hotel.

Dan's Rock:

Coordinates: 39.582068 N, -78.897787 W; The Overlook

The overlook provides a scenic view of the Potomac River Valley. Park here and walk around near the towers. Common Warblers are Black and White, Chestnut-sided, and Cerulean. Its a good spot to see Common Ravens. Hawk migration ranges from very dull to very good.
To get there take Route 36 about 3.7 miles south of I-68 and turn left at the brown sign for Dan's Rock Overlook (Paradise Road; look also for the McMahon's Nursery sign). Paradise Road paralells Route 36. Go 1/10^th of a mile and turn left onto Old Dan's Rock Road. Follow Old Dan's Rock Road about 3.0 miles to the summit and overlook.

Dan's Mountain State Park

Coordinates: 39.56287 N, -78.95023 W; The Pond

The park is a good place to find Black-capped Chickadee, Acadian Flycatcher, American Redstart, and Black-throated Green Warbler. It is possible to find Blue-headed Vireo here (which is more common in Garrett County). The park has been historically good for Cerulean Warblers and they can still be found here in spots.
The Road to turn onto from Route 36 is about 6.5 miles south of I-68 (look for the brown park sign). You turn left onto Water Station Run Road and then go about 1.2 miles to the park entrance. Then continue straight ahead another half-mile to the small pond on the left. This is a good place to park and explore. Bird the area around the pond or across the road by the pavillion. You can see more of the park by continuing on for 0.1 miles and turning right, going another 1.0 miles (past the pool and playground) and turning right onto the dirt road (Water Station Run Road). That dirt road takes you back to the park entrance.

contact me (jbc - at - westernmdbirding - dot - com) !