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Cecil Birding Hotspots
Funk's Pond Recreation Area |
| Description |
Funk’s Pond Recreation Area is
owned by PECO and is part of their facility
at Conowingo Dam. The area, located at the eastern end of
Conowingo
Dam, features a small freshwater pond nestled in hardwood forest.
Near the pond, excellent views of the reservoir above the dam may be
obtained. |
| How to get there |
From Rising Sun, take Rt. 273 and
then Rt. 1 west. After passing
through the intersection of Rt. 222, watch for a car dealership on the
right. The parking lot for Funk’s Pond is immediately after
the car dealership, on the right and within view of the dam. If
coming
from Harford County, watch for the parking area on the left as you come
up the hill from the dam. The parking area is marked with a large
sign. |
| Map reference |
De Lorme MD State Atlas
Book: map page 77; grid A3
ADC Cecil County Map Book: map page 2; grid B10
(not shown on map, but adjacent to dam)
Google
map - click here
|
| What to do
after arrival |
The easily-visible foot trail
leads north from the parking lot to the
pond, about one mile. Just north of the parking lot, the trail
goes
down a hill and then through a brushy area with a stream. This
area
is good for sparrows and other landbirds. The trail
continues
up a hill and through the woods before terminating at the pond.
In
winter, approach the pond slowly so that any resting waterfowl are not
flushed. A faint trail follows the pond’s edge.
At
the south edge of the pond, you can cross a small ditch and climb
up to the railway embankment to obtain a good view of the
reservoir.
Scan the water just above the dam, seen by looking to the left, and
both
shorelines as well as the open water. This is a good spot at both
dawn and dusk, as waterfowl and gulls fly along the river on their way
to or from their feeding spots. Return to the parking lot along
the
same trail or by walking along the railroad tracks; a gravel road
leads up from the tracks to Rt. 1.
|
| Birds to look
for |
- Winter:
loons, grebes , cormorants, ducks, gulls, kinglets,
Hermit Thrush. Reliable for Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped
Chickadee,
and Winter Wren.
- Spring
through fall: Osprey (nesting), herons, egrets, flycatchers,
warblers, vireos, other landbirds.
- Year-round:
Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, bluebird, bob-white, pheasant,
wild turkey, finches, chickadees, woodpeckers, Brown Creepers,
White-breasted
Nuthatch, Carolina Chickadee, titmice, goldfinch.
|
| Hours/Fees/Amenities |
Open dusk to dawn every day of the
year; no fee. There is a picnic
table at the pond. Public restrooms are available during weekday
business hours at the Conowingo Visitors’ Center just across the dam
(first
right turn), or during all daylight hours at the Conowingo Fishermen’s
Park (first two left turns after crossing the dam). |
| What to bring |
A spotting scope is helpful for
scanning the reservoir. Waterproof
shoes or boots with good traction may be needed after rain/snow. |
| Difficulty of
walking |
Moderate. Some hilly
sections and some walking on gravelly trailbeds.
The trail can be extremely muddy after a heavy winter rain or
snowmelt.
Snow and ice remain on the ground for a long time here. Footing
is
usually good in the summer. |
| Personal safety |
Hunting is not allowed at Funk’s
Pond. It is best to bird with
a friend. Lock your car and secure valuables out of sight. |
| Nearby sites |
Fisherman's Park at the base
of Conowingo Dam in Harford County
is the traditional spot to watch for eagles, gulls, herons, and
waterfowl.
The Wildflower Trail along the river offers good birding as well.
Cross the dam and make the first two left turns to reach Fisherman's
Park.
See the Harford Bird Club's Conowingo
Site Guide for more information.
Conowingo
Creek Boat Launch Ramp offers additional views of the reservoir
above the dam. From Rt. 1, go north on Rt. 222 at the Landhope
Farms.
Take the first left onto Mt. Zoar Rd.; follow Mt. Zoar Rd. until the
reservoir
comes into view at the base of a hill. Enter the parking area
directly
ahead or, if the gate is closed, follow the road around a curve to the
right for more parking along the road shoulder.
Even
better views of the reservoir can be obtained from an overlook
on Bell Manor Rd. From the Conowingo Creek Boat Launch, exit the
parking lot and turn left. At the iron bridge over the creek,
turn
left and go across the bridge, following Bell Manor Rd. around the
shoulder
of a hill and then along the cliff above the reservoir (on your
left).
Watch for a pullover on the reservoir side (room for two or three cars
only).
The
many pine trees at Pilot Serpentine Barrens, a Nature Conservancy
property, and the adjoining Girl Scout camp offer good roadside birding
for woodpeckers, thrushes, kinglets, and nuthatches. From the
overlook,
continue north on Bell Manor Road and then turn right at the first
intersection
onto Pilot Town Rd. As you go down a hill, the Nature Conservancy
property will be on the left and the Girl Scout camp on the right.
There
is parking at the bottom of the hill, near the Conowingo Creek
bridge.
Bird from the road only as the surrounding lands are private property,
or contact the Nature
Conservancy Maryland Chapter to ask permission to enter the
Barrens.
|
| For more
information |
Conowingo Visitors
Information Center, 4948 Conowingo Road, Darlington, MD 21034,
(410)
457-5011 |
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Copyright
1998,
1999, 2007 Cecil Bird
Club; All rights reserved. May be printed for personal use
but may not be reproduced in any form for mass or commercial
distribution
without permission of the Executive
Committee
of the Cecil Bird Club.
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