Significant breeding birds include: Common Gallinule; Clapper Rail; Virginia Rail; King Rail in the upper reaches; Sora; Black Rail (extremely rare now); Red-headed Woodpecker; Seaside Sparrow; Saltmarsh Sparrow; abundant Marsh Wrens and Common Yellowthroats; Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs; Willets; Black-necked Stilt.

Spring and fall will produce migrating shorebirds, egrets, other heron species, and numerous migrating ducks.

The road is also a treat during winter as waterfowl abound and Short-eared Owls can be found later in the day. Both Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal can be found in the winter and spring along with Common Merganser (Savannah Lake), Willet, Greater Yellowleg, and Black-bellied Plover. Historically, Barn Owls nested here and there may be a few lingering individuals.

Elliott Island Road / Fishing Bay Wildlife Management Area (Eastern Section)

4498 Elliott Island Road, Vienna, MD 21869
(410) 376-3236

There is no better opportunity to view the heart of the Chesapeake Bay tidal marshes than to drive the 19-mile road from Vienna south to the settlement on Elliott Island in southeastern Dorchester County. Elliott Island Road passes through agricultural land, pine forests, and eventually through spectacular salt marshes, affording views of some pristine landscapes and iconic Chesapeake Bay bird species. Much of the marsh and woods alongside Elliott Island Road are owned by the State of Maryland, mostly as part of the sprawling 29,000-acre Fishing Bay Wildlife Management Area, which extends all the way to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge to the northwest.

Fishing Bay WMA is the state’s largest wildlife management area and largest parcel of publicly-owned tidal wetlands in Maryland. Large expanses of tidal marshes dominate eighty percent of this WMA. The property is dotted with small islands of lowland loblolly pines and mixed hardwoods. There are a few short foot-trails, mostly used by hunters, in some of the Fishing Bay WMA tracts along Elliott Island Road; see trail map at link at left for trail locations and parking. The map also shows boat ramp (BR) locations, for those interested in exploring by water; the boat ramps also provide good vantage points from which to scan the marsh.

Some roadside parcels along Elliott Island Road are part of the Chesapeake Forest Lands, also owned by the MD Department of Natural Resources and managed for public hunting, forestry, and passive recreation. The Chesapeake Forest Lands parcels are sizeable with a good trail network, and are worth exploring on foot if you have the time. The Hoernicke Oliphant Complex (Parcel D25) is 368 acres, and the Lewis Complex (Parcel D26) is a whopping 1,575 acres. See the two Chesapeake Forest Land trail maps at the links at left for trails in these parcels, and see the Directions section below for specifics on reaching the parking areas.

A good bit of the land along Elliott Island Road is privately owned, so please do not trespass on posted private property. Private property parcels are marked in gray on the Fishing Bay WMA trail map at link at left.

As you travel south along Elliott Island Road past Henry’s Crossroads (see map), the effects of rising sea level will be evident as Loblolly Pine forests are both stunted and dying out, beginning a succession to marshland and later, open water. As you drive along through the marsh, leaving the receding forests, the marsh will become increasingly saline and becomes dominated by saltmarsh cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora (now reclassifed as Sporobolus alterniflorus). Savannah Lake, east of Elliott Island Road, is a naturally occurring lake (not man-made), and is a prime a stopover for waterfowl. At the end of the road before reaching Elliott Island itself, where a tiny settlement is located, the road parallels Fishing Bay, affording great looks at diving ducks, grebes, loons, and an occasional Brown Pelican.

Though there is foot-trail access to some of the public lands along Elliott Island Road, driving the road is a jewel in itself and allows you to enjoy the pristine bird habitat without leaving the car. The pilgrimage to Elliott Island Road at dusk or before dawn to listen for rails is a cherished tradition among Maryland birders. Whether in the dead of winter with waterfowl dominating, or in prime breeding season with the songs of marsh dwellers dominating, there is always a surprise to be found somewhere along the road.

Since this is primarily a driving tour, it is a great opportunity for those who are mobility-impaired to bird from the car or nearby.