Chesapeake Bay Camping, Sunflower Hike: Explore Maryland's Nature

MARYLAND ? Summer is in full swing in Maryland. Residents can hike through a sunflower field, check out new trails along the Patuxent River or camp on a Chesapeake Bay island. Here are some of the top ways to enjoy the local nature.

Patch recently partnered with several local organizations to bring you their latest news. This guest contribution comes from National Park Service Chesapeake Gateways and Chesapeake Conservancy. Here's what Jody Hedeman Couser submitted to help you explore the Chesapeake Bay:

"Sunflower Fever Photo Hike

Join the Sierra Club for a promenade along the Potomac River for roughly eight miles round trip on the C&O Canal towpath from Riley's Lock to a beautiful sunflower field. Take a lunch break at the sunflowers, then on the return trip check out the quarry ruins where the sandstone for the Smithsonian Castle came from. With any luck you?ll have a chance to spot some sunflower-yellow prothonotary warblers. Since this is a photo hike, there will be regular stops to photograph birds, bugs, and other critters. July 25, 8:00 am to 2:00 pm; Poolesville, MD. More information and registration.

Can?t make it to this hike? Read Fields of Sunshine at McKee-Beshers WMA and organize a self-guided visit.

Explore Brand New Patuxent Trails

The Patuxent River State Park, with the help of volunteers, has been hard at work creating new trails, and the Sierra Club has organized an outing to check them out. The outing will explore the new trails between Annapolis Rock Road and Mullinix Road, on both the Montgomery County side of the river and the Howard County side. The exact route will be determined by progress on trail construction, and distance may vary from 5.5 to 6.5 miles, mostly on good trail over gentle terrain. There is no fee, but participants are asked for a modest donation ($2 or so) to cover first aid, website, and other costs. July 30, 10:00 am to 1:30 pm; Patuxent River State Park, Woodbine, MD. More information and registration.

2021 Downrigging Festival Tickets Now Available!

Now in its 21st year, the Sultana Education Foundation?s Downrigging Weekend Festival is one of the largest annual tall ship gatherings in North America. The festival features three days of Tall Ship sails, tours, incredible live bluegrass music, lectures, exhibits, family activities, regional food, and more. Tickets sell fast, so don?t wait too long if you want to attend this amazing festival. Oct. 29-31; Chestertown, MD. Downrigging website and tickets.

Fishing Day at Masonville Cove

This is a chance for the novice fishermen in the family to get some tips and try their luck with Masonville Cove?s free fishing poles and supplies. July 31, 9:00 am; Masonville Cove, Baltimore, MD. More information and registration.

Celebrate Latino Conservation Week

Communities throughout the country will enjoy and connect with the great outdoors during the 7th annual Latino Conservation Week, which began July 18 and runs through July 26. While this year will lean more toward virtual activities like online expeditions, roundtable discussions, Q&A sessions, scavenger hunts, film screenings and the like, nearly 100 events are being celebrated nationwide. More information and event locator map.

Camping on Hart-Miller Island

If your idea of a great getaway is to hang out on a beach, pitch a hammock, play a little volleyball, and cruise around an island on a bike, then an overnighter on Hart-Miller should definitely be on your list. Hart-Miller Island is a 1,100-acre island located in Baltimore County on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of Middle River. One small catch: it is accessible only by personal boat. Blogger Brian Seel decided to turn his visit into a proper adventure by kayaking to the island with friends for a fun overnighter. Read Camping on Hart-Miller Island for some insights into how to pull off this uniquely Chesapeake Bay experience.

Songbird Sickness

In late May, wildlife managers in Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia began receiving reports of sick and dying birds with eye swelling and crusty discharge, as well as neurological signs. In June, there were additional reports from Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. So far, no exact cause of death has been identified. The primary species reported are blue jays, common grackles, American robins, northern cardinals, and European starlings. Things we can do include: reporting any birds we find dead from apparent illness using the Bird Mortality Report Form, taking bird-feeders down to increase "social distancing" in birds until such time as the problem has been solved, keeping pets away from sick or dead birds, and using disposable gloves if you need to handle dead or sick birds. If you encounter sick or dead birds in Virginia, please submit an event report. More information is available from the Penn State Extension and Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

Explore the Current, Weather and Captain John Smith's Historic Voyage with CBIBS!

Head out on the water and learn firsthand the experiences of Captain John Smith's Voyage on NOAA's Chesapeake Bay interpretive Buoy System. CBIBS provides real time weather and environmental information, as well as a glimpse into living Chesapeake Bay History. You can also download the app for your Android or iPhone from the website. Note: some buoys may be offline with no data currently available.

Chesapeake Trail Riverview

Take a virtual tour of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail from your computer or mobile device! To help you plan your trip before you go, the Chesapeake Conservancy partnered with Terrain360 to bring you virtual tours of the trail?s great rivers. Sit back and virtually explore the Elk, James (sponsored by the James River Association), Nanticoke, Northeast, Patapsco, Patuxent, Potomac, Rappahannock, Sassafras, Susquehanna, and York rivers. Check out some of the Chesapeake?s special places like Werowocomoco, Fones Cliffs, Baltimore?s Inner Harbor and Mallows Bay. We hope to eventually bring you a virtual tour of the entire Chesapeake Trail! Explore the Chesapeake's great rivers on our website."

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