U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge 2145 Key Wallace Drive Cambridge, 21613-9535 410/228 2677 410/221 7738 Fax Blackwater e-mail: [email protected] http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Blackwater National Wildlife Federal Relay Service Refuge for the deaf and hard-of-hearing 1 800/ 877 8339 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Wildlife Drive 1 800/344 WILD http://www.fws.gov/

September 2019

Wildlife Drive Jacob Carroll/USFWS Take a Drive on Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Scan the shallow edges for dabbling the Wild Side! is one of more than 560 refuges in ducks such as mallards and northern the National Wildlife Refuge System pintails; wading birds such as great administered by the U.S. Fish and blue herons and great egrets; and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife shorebirds like yellowlegs and Refuge System is a network of lands dunlins. The impoundments are and waters managed specifically for drained in summer to encourage the the protection of wildlife and habitat growth of plants such as wild millet, for the continuing benefit of the smartweed and redroot cyperus American people. On refuges, wildlife which provide food for waterfowl. comes first! The exposed also provide good feeding areas for shorebirds Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and other and water birds. welcomes you to tour the popular Wildlife Drive. The drive can be Management of the impoundments is accessed by automobile, bicycle or designed to mimic natural processes. In on foot. All visitors must remain on late summer, water control structures the paved road. While on the refuge, are closed to allow rainfall to refill the please obey all signs, and do not feed, impoundments, making the seeds and harass or collect any plants or wildlife. tubers of these plants and a variety of The Wildlife Drive is open daily from invertebrates, such as snails, worms, and dawn until dusk. larvae, available to migratory waterfowl.

This guide points out some of To your left is the Little Blackwater Blackwater’s wildlife management , a tidal waterway connected to the programs and is keyed to numbered . The river is named for observation points along the drive. its dark color, which comes from tannic acids picked up as water drains through Although this refuge is managed leaf litter in forested . primarily for migratory birds, many other types of wildlife share Marsh Edge Trail At this point, if you would like to the wide diversity of habitats. The visit the Observation Platform and careful observer will see a variety of the Marsh Edge Trail, take the road plants and animals along the drive. to the left. To rejoin the Wildlife Drive, double back and continue from this point. A self-guiding leaflet for interpreting the Marsh Edge Trail is available at the trail head. The Marsh Edge Trail may be closed mid-winter through mid-summer to protect nesting eagles and herons. Freshwater habitat is scarce 1. Moist Soil on Blackwater National 2. Bluebird Box On your left is a bluebird nest box. Vegetation Wildlife Refuge because of the These boxes have been successfully predominantly brackish (mixture used to improve bluebird reproduction. of salt and fresh water) conditions Bluebird nesting sites had decreased found here. The dike on which due to lack of natural nesting cavities, you are riding was built to create or holes in trees. Nesting boxes were the freshwater impoundment installed to give the birds places to nest. (constructed ) to your As many as 140 bluebirds have fledged right, which adds to the diversity of in one year from the refuge’s 30+ boxes. habitat for wildlife. Other birds such as tree swallows, chickadees, titmice and wrens also use marsh, phragmites is often the first the boxes. Bluebirds, as well as other plant to become established. The bird species, play an important role in refuge controls the plant in strategic the natural control of insects. areas through the use of fire and herbicide, attempting to suppress 3. Marsh Loss The majority of the scientific the phragmites until more beneficial and Migration community agrees that sea levels native plants have an opportunity to are rising globally, and coastal grow. Controlling this and other non- wetlands are changing as a result. In native species is one of the biggest many of these places, changes will challenges land managers face today. have a significant negative impact on the ecosystem and economy. 5. Delmarva This woodland is managed to provide Understanding where and how these Peninsula Fox habitat for the changes will occur is a complex Squirrel fox squirrel, which prefers a mature challenge we face today. forest with little undergrowth. In the past, these large squirrels were found The effects of sea level rise are throughout the Delmarva Peninsula visually apparent from this location. and into southeastern Pennsylvania. By Standing snags (dead trees) serve 1967, they inhabited only 10% of their as clear reminders of rising water historic range and were placed on the and salt water intrusion. Over 5,000 first endangered species list. Forest acres of have been lost in clearing for agriculture, timber harvest the Blackwater River system since and unregulated hunting in the early the 1930s. This marsh has converted 1900s contributed to their decline. to open water, while many forested areas are now converting to marsh. The fox squirrel has a light, steel-gray Ensuring that the refuge continues to coat and a large fluffy silvery tail with provide these important habitats for black edges. The gray squirrel, which wildlife is a key goal. also inhabits the refuge, is smaller and has a narrower tail and brownish 4. Phragmites On your left, you may notice gray fur. The fox squirrel spends (pronounced phragmites, or common reed, a tall considerable time on the ground “frag-my-tees”) perennial grass found in wetlands foraging for food in woodlots, and will throughout temperate and tropical take food from farm fields. Decades regions of the world. In the United of recovery efforts have led to the States, we have both native and recovery of the Delmarva Peninsula non-native strains of phragmites. fox squirrel and its removal from the The phragmites found at Blackwater endangered species list. is the non-native invasive strain which outcompetes native plants and Woods Trail You will pass a parking lot on your provides little benefit to wildlife. It right for one of the refuge’s walking can grow in damp ground, in standing trails, the Woods Trail. In , water up to 3 feet deep, or even as these wet woods are alive with the a floating mat, and has the ability to calls of mating tree frogs and toads release toxins that hinder the growth and numerous songbirds. The Woods of other plants. Trail allows you to trek through Delmarva Peninsula fox squirrel Phragmites is not easy to remove habitat. If you choose to hike the once established. It spreads rapidly one-mile trail, you may want to apply by root and seed and readily invades insect repellent as biting insects disturbed areas. As sea levels rise, are abundant from April through causing forests to die and convert to October. Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

Key 0 .5 1Mile Wallace North Trail To Cambridge 0 .5 1 Kilometer To (2.5 Miles) Cambridge Egypt Road

Drive Wildlife Drive Key Wallace Entrance

335 11 Woods Trail Pool Pool 5a Visitor 2 Pool (1 Mile) 5c Center le r Pool 5b 6 tt te Pool Li a 3d w r 7 Pool 1 ck e Pool 1 la iv 8 5 2 B R s Pool Tubman 10 3a Pool Road 9 3b 8 4 3 Trail (1.5 Miles) Pool 3c I Marsh Edge Trail (1/3 Mile) ip Roof Road LEEND Auto Drive & Parking Area Bike Trail (5 mi.)

Walking Trail Handicapped Area River Blackwater Wooded Area Self Service Pay Station

Marsh Pollinator Sanctuary

Restroom Refuge Headquarters

Education Building s Photo Blind Observation Site 5 Wildlife Drive Stops Fire also helps to prevent extremely hazardous and volatile conditions by removing dried or dead vegetation that fuel wildfires.

During the summer, egrets, herons and other water birds feed on fish and crustaceans of the . They also eat frogs and snakes found in the fresh waters of 6. Deer More than 300 acres of refuge the impoundments. Painted turtles croplands are planted with corn, and redbelly turtles are often seen clover, and winter wheat to provide sunning themselves on logs in the high energy food and cover for many impoundments, while snapping species of wintering waterfowl. turtles and diamondback terrapins Other wildlife species also take are more often seen in the brackish advantage of these crops. White- waters. Approximately 45 species of tailed deer may be seen feeding in reptiles and amphibians are found on these fields, especially in the early the refuge. morning or evening. They prefer the “edge” habitat where forests, 8. Muskrat and Muskrats, sometimes observed meadows and croplands come Nutria swimming in the water, not only feed together. In addition to white-tailed on the marsh vegetation, but also use deer, the smaller, white-rumped sika it to build dome shaped homes called (pronounced “see-kuh”), an Asian lodges. These can easily be seen after species of elk introduced to James controlled burns in the marsh, but Island in 1916, are also common at are hard to find in the summer when Blackwater. Abundant in marshy the marsh vegetation grows higher areas, sika are grazers that feed on than the lodges. The large rodents the marsh grasses while white-tailed reproduce rapidly. The young are deer are primarily browsers that considered adults in approximately feed on the leaves, buds, mast and two months. Trapping by permit twigs in forested areas. Both species is used to control the muskrat may forage on agricultural crops. population and prevent damage to marsh vegetation from overgrazing. 7. Fresh and From here you can see typical Brackish Water habitat used by waterfowl, marsh The nutria, a much larger South birds, muskrats, and a variety of American rodent, was introduced amphibians and reptiles. The dike in this area in the 1940s for their you are on separates the freshwater fur. They reproduce more rapidly impoundments on your right from than the muskrat, do not have any the tidal, brackish marsh and natural predators, and there is little Blackwater River on your left. demand for their fur. Nutria feed on the roots of marsh plants, and In the late winter, controlled burns are partially responsible for the loss are performed in the tidal marsh. of thousands of acres of wetlands These carefully planned burns help over the past several decades. An to promote new, vigorous spring intensive trapping effort, begun in growth of the Olney three-square 2002, has virtually eliminated nutria and other marsh vegetation that is from the refuge and its surrounding eaten by waterfowl and muskrats. counties. Ahead on your left you will notice water. In spring and summer, look sections of marsh outlined with for resident mallards, wood ducks stakes and fencing. These are and black ducks. During the fall and experimental marsh restoration winter, migratory dabblers such as plots that were planted in 2003 to northern shovelers, northern pintails, test the feasibility of rebuilding some gadwall, teal and wigeon visit the of the marsh that has been lost to refuge, along with several “diving” nutria and other factors. These plots species such as ruddy ducks, common have shown that replanted marshes mergansers, and hooded mergansers. will grow quickly and remain Waterfowl visitation is dominated by vigorous if the underlying soils can the presence of thousands of Canada be built up to proper levels. geese, snow geese and tundra swans, many of whom remain at the refuge 9. Osprey The structure on your right is throughout the winter months. an example of an osprey nesting platform. Nesting platforms were 11. Bald Eagle The trees to your left are a favorite an important tool in early osprey resting spot for bald eagles, as recovery efforts, but are now used well as hawks, vultures, herons mainly for wildlife observation. The and egrets. Bald eagles prefer the shallow waters of the Blackwater tall loblolly pines near the water River provide excellent fishing for nesting and roosting. Areas on habitat for this “fish hawk.” Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge where eagles nest are protected from Osprey populations declined in the human disturbance to prevent nest mid-1900s as a result of pesticide use abandonment. Look closely at the tall and increased human activity. The live pines, and you may spot a nest pesticide “DDT”, which caused the used by eagles for the past few years. eggs that were laid by these birds to be too thin and soft to hatch, We hope The area in and around the was banned in the United States in you enjoyed refuge boasts one of the largest 1972. This legislation and various your visit to concentrations of nesting eagles on management techniques have helped Blackwater the east coast outside of . increase the population of the osprey, National Wildlife Eagle numbers increase during the as well as other raptors such as the Refuge’s Wildlife winter when migrant eagles visit bald eagle and the peregrine falcon. Drive! Please the area. Bald eagle populations come back again in the U.S. decreased in the mid- 10. Waterfowl Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge to experience a 1900s as a result of illegal shooting is an important stop along the variety of wildlife and the effects of DDT, and they Atlantic Flyway, where migrating that changes were declared endangered in 1967. waterfowl are able to rest and with every Through recovery efforts and the feed during their long seasonal season of the protection by the U.S. Fish and journeys. Species of waterfowl year. For more Wildlife Service, bald eagles became using Blackwater include Canada information an endangered species success story and snow geese, tundra swans, and about the refuge, in 2007 when they were removed more than 20 species of ducks. The be sure to stop from the list completely. shallow nature of the Blackwater by our Visitor River system and the freshwater Center on Key impoundments make this area Wallace Drive, especially appealing to “dabbling” open Tues. - Sun. waterfowl, who look for food at 10:00 am to or just below the surface of the 4:00 pm. Illustrations ©Alex Briggs