Rock Creek Park

At 1754 acres, Rock Creek Park is the largest natural area in the District. That leaves a lot of area to explore, but the best birding areas are confined to a much smaller area on top of the park's western ridge. To see the Rock Creek Park at its best, visit during migration, in May or September. The usual birders' route is to start at the Nature Center, walk south to visit picnic areas 17/18 (known as "the ridge") at dawn, and then check the maintenance yard later in the morning. Sometimes the maintenance yard will be more productive than the ridge. Because the maintenance yard is at the top of a hill, most birds there will be at or below eye level. It is also worth walking through the dog run across Glover Road from the Nature Center. Be careful while crossing or walking on roadways in Rock Creek Park, as some are heavily used by cars. When in the park, remember to look up, as some migrating species are only seen in the park as flyovers. DC Audubon runs a field trip at this location every September.

What to see: Warblers and more warblers! As the largest forested space within D.C.'s urban desert, Rock Creek Park is a classic migrant trap. All northeastern species of warblers have been recorded in the park. In recent years, some notable warbler sightings have included: golden-winged, blackburnian, Cape May, cerulean, Wilson's, Tennessee, worm-eating, mourning, Connecticut, and yellow-breasted chat. On any given day during the peak period, one can expect to see 10-15 warbler species, and more than that on really good days. Other birds recorded during migration include black-billed cuckoo, olive-sided flycatcher, yellow-bellied flycatcher, Swainson's thrush, gray-cheeked thrush, Lincoln's sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, rusty blackbird, and bobolink.

Louisiana waterthrushes breed around the creek along Broad Branch Road. Peirce Mill usually has a wood duck contingent, and barn swallows breed there. The park above Military Road is relatively unexplored by birders, but may be worth checking in summer for breeding species. In winter, check pine stands for red-breasted nuthatches and the feeders at the Nature Center for unusual finches.

Hawks and loons are regular flyover birds during migration periods.

By public transportation: The E2, E3, and E4 buses stop at the corner of Military Road and Glover Road, near the Nature Center. These routes run between the Friendship Heights and Fort Totten stations on the Red Line. To reach Peirce Mill, use the Cleveland Park station on the Red Line, and walk down into Rock Creek Park via the trail in Melvin Hazen Park. (N.B.: This trail can be difficult after rain or snow storms.) Lower sections of the bicycle trail can be reached from the Woodley Park and Dupont Circle stations on the Red Line. From the Silver Spring station on the Red Line, one can walk west along Colesville Road to reach the northern tip of the park.

Location

5200 Glover Road NW

Washington, DC