Page 24 - Port of Baltimore - Issue 3 - 2024

Clockwise from left: Saltmarsh sparrow (photo by Gary Leavens); Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller at Poplar Island (photo by MES); roseate spoonbill (photo by Matthew Paulsen); bird banding at Masonville Cove (photo by MES).
Wildlife
What do the saltmarsh sparrow, spoonbill, bald eagle and coyote have in common? They are among the excit- ing wildlife spotted at MPA-owned sites in 2023.
The saltmarsh sparrow, an endangered species, has been losing its natural habitat due to sea-level rise. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), more than four out of every five saltmarsh sparrows have disappeared since 1998. Despite these challenges, they have been spotted at three Dredged Material Management Program (DMMP) sites: Cox Creek, Masonville Cove and Hart- Miller Island.
An eaglet was spotted in a bald eagle nest at Hawkins Point, making it the third confirmed eagle nest within Baltimore City, with two at MPA sites — Masonville Cove and Hawkins Point.
Over the summer, the roseate spoonbill was spotted on Poplar Island, Masonville Cove and Hart- Miller Island. This common wetland bird is normally found in Florida and Texas but is rare in Maryland.
A pair of coyotes has called Masonville Cove home for the past several years. In 2023, coyote sight- ings, even during the daytime, have
increased due to the pair successfully raising young.
Four DMMP sites were trend-
ing as eBird hotspots and ranked in Maryland’s top ten for 2023. Out
of 2,455 sites, Hart-Miller Island
held the rank of #1 with 220 species, Masonville Cove was #3 with 214 species, Cox Creek/Swan Creek Wetlands was #7 with 201 species, and Poplar Island was #9 with 199 species.
Bird Banding
Masonville Cove provided the perfect spot for migration bird banding conducted by the Birds of Urban Baltimore (BURB), a local nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging the community in bird science
and conservation. BURB, with the help of staff from the Maryland Environmental Service and the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local volunteers, captured birds and attached small, uniquely numbered metal bands to their legs. This process allows scientists to study both individual birds and populations of birds over time.
According to the initial study results, during the fall banding season, the partners banded 551 individuals of 56 species. The top five species captured in the fall were: common yellowthroat with 119 individuals,
song sparrow with 105, swamp sparrow with 45, and gray catbird and yellow-rumped “myrtle” warbler, each with 34. Among the most exciting observations were three Connecticut warblers and a single mourning warbler captured within a week in early September.
Head Start for Maryland Terrapins
Through the Port of Baltimore’s Terrapin Education Research Partnership (TERP), Maryland students engage in giving baby terrapins
from Poplar Island a “head start”
by nurturing them through the first vulnerable months in their classrooms. The baby terrapins are later released back on Poplar Island when they have matured and grown strong.
During a tour of Poplar Island, Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller released some of the 2023 TERP baby turtles. A total of 175 juvenile turtles hatched at Poplar Island were distributed to schools around the state. TERP partners include MPA, Maryland Environmental Service (MES), Ohio University, Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center, National Aquarium, Calvert County Public Schools, and the Schmidt Outdoor Education Center.
ECO PORT ANNUAL REVIEW 2023
[22] The Port of Baltimore ■ ISSUE 3 / 2024