Community Corner

100K Waterfowl Visit MD Sanctuary + London Town Offers Family Activities

More than 100,000 waterfowl take refuge in a Maryland sanctuary with miles of trails. Plus, London Town planned winter family activities.

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National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways and Chesapeake Conservancy suggested visiting Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, not pictured above. The sanctuary sees more than 100,000 waterfowl each year.
National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways and Chesapeake Conservancy suggested visiting Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, not pictured above. The sanctuary sees more than 100,000 waterfowl each year. (Jacob Baumgart/Patch)

MARYLAND — More than 100,000 waterfowl visit a Maryland sanctuary each year. Guests can bike through miles of trails and explore the refuge this winter.

Historic London Town and Gardens planned some winter events for families in Edgewater. Four other interactive nature offerings are also available. Plus, a Kwanzaa storytime is on tap at a local museum.

Patch recently partnered with several local organizations to bring you their latest news. This guest contribution comes from National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways and Chesapeake Conservancy. Here's what Jody Hedeman Couser submitted to help you explore the Chesapeake Bay:

Find out what's happening in Annapolisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

"Waterfowl Viewing at Eastern Neck

Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, located at the mouth of the Chester River in Kent County, is a major feeding and resting place for migrating and wintering waterfowl. More than 100,000 ducks, geese and swans seek sanctuary here each year, as do migrating and breeding songbirds and shorebirds, and bald eagles that thrive there year-round. Nearly nine miles of trails and roads, including universally-accessible boardwalks and a waterside trail provide excellent wildlife viewing and spectacular Chesapeake Bay vistas. The refuge is very easy to navigate through and enjoy, with lots of interpretive signage, well-marked trails and boardwalks, and can even be enjoyed from the comfort of your car. Brochure and maps. Up-to-date waterfowl surveys and events at the refuge. Guided winter walks will be offered Jan. 1, Feb. 5, and March 5, 2022. Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, Rock Hall, MD. More information."

"Which Bird Are You?

Trying to figure out which bird description fits you best is just one of the fun activities you can try from our friends at London Town and Gardens. Other unique activities and crafts include banana scrimshaw, a neighborhood scavenger hunt, making bird seed cookies, how to make cold pickles, and how to make seed paper (great gift idea). London Town Fun Family Activities."

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"Exciting, Hands-On, Interactive...

Winter offers visitors an incredible opportunity to explore some of the many off-the-beaten-path opportunities for adventure, like the Delmarva Discovery Center & Museum in the Eastern Shore town of Pocomoke City. Superstar otters Tuck and Mac must not be missed, but the Discovery Center has a lot more to offer visitors of all ages, from the touch pool, multi-level steamship exhibit, reptiles, otter feeding time, a model cypress swamp, and an actual beaver lodge. Kids and kids-at-heart can crawl through the two entrances and enjoy a unique beaver’s-eye view of a lodge from the inside. From now through January 4th you can enjoy the Train Garden Display courtesy of the Pocomoke Area Model Train Club. Preview what to expect when you visit the museum with blogger Julie Dieguez’s An “Otter” Gem Hidden in the Eastern Shore’s Friendliest Town."

"Winter Birds of the Chesapeake

This Calvert Marine Museum activity is perfect for the future birders in the family. Check out a bird watching kit to use along the museum’s marsh walk and play a round or two of the bird migration game. Create a pine cone bird feeder to take home (limited, while supplies last). Activities are appropriate for ages 5-10. Program included with museum admission. Dec. 27, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm; Calvert Marine Museum, Solomons, MD. More information."

"Meet a Bird, Paint a Bird

Join a naturalist at Soldiers Delight for a hands-on, step-by-step paint night. Get started by taking an up close look at the subject of the painting, one of the Scales & Tales raptors! All materials will be provided. Beginners are welcomed and encouraged! $10. Recommended for ages 10 and up! Dec. 26, 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm; (registration required by 12/23), Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area, Owings Mills, MD. More information and registration."

"Kwanzaa Story Time

The Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum is inviting you to come visit, listen to stories, and make a craft to take home. For adults and children ages 6+. Free. Dec. 26, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. Can’t make it on the 26th? Enjoy Story Time in Benjamin’s Cabin on Jan. 8, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. Come gather around the cabin hearth fire and listen to stories, poems, and riddles which young Benjamin Banneker may have heard growing up in colonial America. Adults and children 8+; free. Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum, Baltimore, MD. More information and additional events."

"Hump Day Hike

Too many Christmas cookies? Cabin fever? Take a quick ranger-led hike to walk off some of the extra holiday calories and learn about the plants and animals of Seneca Creek State Park. Free and open to all ages. Meet at Kingfisher Overlook. Dec. 29, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm; Seneca Creek State Park, Gaithersburg, MD. More information."

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