While on the cruise of the Chesapeake Bay during our recent Maryland vacation, we had some great opportunities for birding. On a tributary connected to the Bay called Bodkin creek, we found osprey nests on most of the navigation markers. They were also on a variety of other posts and platforms.
The birds were used to human activity for the most part. Our boat was able to pass by most of the markers with only a modest amount of alarm from the birds. The nest on hazard marker 12 was one of the best. It had three chicks that looked old enough to be teenagers. The mother left the nest as we approached it on the return to shore. Our captain brought us right next to the marker and I got a wonderful shot, see my post at johnsfstop.com
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Chesapeake Bay fishing trip
During our recent trip to Maryland & Virginia, we went on a fishing trip on the Chesapeake Bay. Aside from the actual fishing, which was surprisingly fun, I had some great birding photo-o-graphy opportunities.
Our forty-six foot, or so, boat operated out of a cove on Bodkin Creek. We journeyed south to striped bass (locally known as “rock fish”) fishing grounds in mid-channel. This was about halfway to the Chesapeake Bay bridge. After catching our quota of fish, we went on a site seeing tour of the bridge and the coastline around it.
The buoy is a mid-channel marker off of Love Point (note the “LP” on the structure), just north of the bridge on Kent island.
Underneath the central span of the bridge is a small rocky & grassy outcropping surrounding the central bridge support structures. A large colony of gulls has made this their home. Stay tuned for more pictures of our fishing & birding adventure.