In February 2022, I visited the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland for the first time. I thoroughly enjoyed the visit. The Refuge is huge, beautiful and a wonderful place to see and photograph a variety of birds and other creatures.

The Refuge was established in 1933 as a waterfowl sanctuary for birds migrating along the critical migration highway called the Atlantic Flyway. The refuge is located on Maryland's Eastern Shore, 12 miles south of Cambridge, Maryland in Dorchester County.

The Refuge consists of over 32,000 acres of freshwater impoundments, brackish tidal wetlands, open fields, and mixed evergreen and deciduous forests. Blackwater is one of over 540 units in the National Wildlife Refuge System, which is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Blackwater is home to the largest natural population of formerly endangered Delmarva peninsula fox squirrels and is also home to the largest breeding population of American bald eagles on the East Coast, north of Florida.

The Friends of Blackwater is a nonprofit citizens support group founded in 1987 to assist the Refuge to carry out its mission. The organization also sponsors guided walks and other events.

Blackwater is a great place to visit. You also will see many birdwatchers and nice cameras and lenses.