Birding
At Blackwater NWR, the best time for viewing waterfowl is between mid-October and mid-March. Wintering species include tundra swans, Canada and snow geese, and over 20 species of ducks. The most common ducks found here are mallards, black ducks, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, wigeon, and pintails. Although most waterfowl migrate north in the spring, some remain through the summer, using the protected areas of the Refuge to raise their young. These nesting waterfowl include Canada geese, mallards, black ducks, wood ducks, and blue-winged teal.
Want to know what birds have been recently seen at the refuge? We suggest visiting Cornell's eBird page for Blackwater. There you can see all the bird sightings that have recently been logged by refuge visitors. Better yet, join the eBird community and contribute to the sightings list!
Road Etiquette: When stopping to view wildlife along public roads, please be sure to get as far off the road as safely possible and turn on your hazard lights. Do not park near a blind corner, and do not block traffic. This will ensure the safety of visitors and residents alike.
The Marsh Edge Trail and adjacent parking area are currently CLOSED to limit disturbance to nesting eagles. No entry is permitted beyond the parking lot gate.
Waterfowl Surveys
Blackwater NWR biologists and trained volunteers conduct waterfowl surveys primarily in the fall and winter. Unless otherwise noted, these are ground surveys. The biologists approximate the number of birds by driving a predetermined route around the refuge property. These surveys provide a "snapshot" of the waterfowl present at the refuge during a given week. A spreadsheet of the weekly surveys can be found below.
Update February 13, 2026: After the effects of Winter Storm Fern resided, waterfowl surveys have resumed. Though the ice cover on the river and impoundments has greatly diminished, waterfowl numbers remain low, especially for ducks.
Survey tables for Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 can be found below. Very low tidal water in the Blackwater River in late December caused significant fish mortality, leading to very high observations of eagles, vultures, gulls, and other scavengers from Wildlife Drive. Our mid-winter aerial waterfowl survey and mid-winter eagle survey have now been posted as well.
For those asking about snow geese: We typically record only a few thousand snow geese in our area during the migratory season. Over the past few years, this flock has been roosting on the Blackwater River at night, but leaving early in the morning to feed in fields elsewhere in the county, returning after dark. This is why we usually don't record them on our waterfowl surveys, which are conducted during the day. The flock sometimes chooses to feed in the refuge fields and treat us to their amazing spectacle.
New surveys are conducted weekly, unless they are hindered by inclement weather. Surveys from 2024-25 remain posted for comparison.
