If taking Falls Road from the Beltway, get into the left lane on Falls Road and make a left at 0.7 mile to get onto Falls Road south. Go south 3.3 miles, crossing a bridge over Jones Falls, then turn left immediately before reaching the traffic light at Lake Avenue. (Look for the sign for Light Rail.) Then make an immediate right at the Robert E. Lee Memorial Park sign. Follow the road for about 0.5 mile toward the Park entrance. When you reach the dam, look for a parking spot along the side of the road. The road will continue past the dam and dead-end at a parking area near a boat house.
From the dam, follow the path up into the park towards the picnic area where Baltimore and Orchard Orioles are seen during migration (birding varies depending on the crowds). Follow the path along the lake shore, counterclockwise around the picnic area, and on the side opposite the lake, look for a dirt path which will take you down across the Light Rail track to the inner part of the park. Be careful crossing the track.
After crossing the track, follow the trail along the lake. Barred Owl nests in the area. Pileated Woodpecker has been seen flying overhead. Look for various ducks in the lake. Scan for shorebirds and herons along the shore and in the mud flat area on the north side of the lake. When you come to the fork in the trail, you can take the path to the right which follows a dike and loops back to the main trail. Eastern Bluebird has been seen in the past. During migration, vireos, thrushes, and flycatchers are common, and 20 or more species of warblers can be found in one day.
To get to the pine barrens area from Falls Road, return to Falls Road and go north for about 1.0. Turn right at Copper Hill Road and follow it into the park. Park off the road, away from traffic. Continue on the path towards the pine grove. Around the pine barrens area, kinglets, nuthatches, and warblers are likely.
Compiled by Sukon Kanchanaraksa, 1/96
Return to Baltimore Bird Club page.
See reports of recent Lake Roland trips