I’ve been visiting Ocean City
since I was a child, but it wasn’t
until I became a birder that my
eyes were opened to the species
richness found here. A vagrant
trap, this location is great
year-round, especially for
rarities. It’s one of the few places
I’m familiar with in Maryland
that a birder has the chance, as I
did, to list a Snowy Owl and a
Dovekie on the same day.
The inlet is sandwiched
between an adjacent parking lot
and Assateague Island. A stone
jetty runs along the island side,
and a scope is necessary for viewing the Purple Sandpipers, Ruddy
Turnstones, Great and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, and Great Cormorants
that can be found on it. Because of the inlet’s layout and the island’s
proximity to the parking lot, very close views of shorebirds, seabirds, sea
ducks, and raptors on their way to Skimmer Island are plentiful. If you’re a
photographer, bring your big lens.
Skimmer Island is just a short drive away and a must to visit on your way
to Assateague. In the summer, pelicans gather en masse on Skimmer Island
and interesting terns always turn up. Ocean City, Maryland, is a mecca for
birders who want to capitalize on an experience rich in diversity without
getting on a boat or driving around all day. — Orietta C. EstradaOrietta C. Estrada is the editor of The Maryland Yellowthroat, a bimonthly
publication of the Maryland Ornithological Society, and a wildlife columnist.
She is also a master naturalist and vice president of the Frederick Bird Club.51POcean
CityWe st
Ocean CityOcean City Inlet50Ocean (^) Ga
teway
Assateague
Island
Skimmer
Island
Isle of Wight Bay
Sin
epu
xen
t^ Ba
y
S. 2nd St
S.^ P
hila
del
phi
a^ A
ve
S. 1st St
S.^ B
alti
mo
re^ A
ve
At
lan
tic
O
ce
an
500 ft200 m
The Ocean City Inlet lies at the southernmost end of Ocean City. Take Rte. 50E./Ocean
Gateway across the bridge into the city and turn right onto S. Philadelphia Ave. At S. 1st
St., turn left then go right onto S. Baltimore Ave. Turn left onto S. 2nd St. and follow it until
it ends at the Hugh T. Cropper Inlet Parking Lot. The inlet is on the right.
AT A GLANCE
HABITAT
Marine and coastal habitats.
TERRAIN
Flat. Wheelchair-accessible.
BIRDS
More than 200 species. Winter: Brant, Northern
Pintail, King and Common Eiders, Harlequin
Duck, Black and White-winged Scoters,
Long-tailed Duck, Common Goldeneye,
Red-breasted Merganser, Red-throated and
Common Loons, Red-necked Grebe, Great
Cormorant, Ruddy Turnstone, Boat-tailed
Grackle. Summer: American Oystercatcher,
Piping Plover, Red Knot, Purple Sandpiper,
Northern Gannet, Great Black-backed Gull,
Least, Black, Royal, Common, and Forster’s
Terns, Peregrine Falcon. Rarities: Snowy Owl,
Dovekie, Thick-billed Murre, Razorbill, Black
Guillemot, Black-legged Kittiwake, Glaucous
Gull, Parasitic Jaeger, Wilson’s Storm-Petrel.
WHEN TO GO
Year-round.
AMENITIES
No facilities. Shops are driving distance. Beach
is at the edge of the parking lot, walkway
located along the inlet.
ACCESS
City park. Open 24 hours a day. Parking
available. Parking: $3 per hour, first 30 minutes
are free.
TIPS
Expect windy conditions year-round. Wear a hat
and apply sunblock in summer. Binoculars and
spotting scope are a must. Bring photography
equipment for a rarity because one is bound to
show up.
FOR MORE INFO
Ocean City Inlet Park, https://ococean.com/
location/inlet-park. Tri-County Bird Club,
https://mdbirds.org/join/chapters/tri-county-
bird-club. Maryland Ornithological Society,
https://mdbirds.org. Trusted local bird guide
Anthony VanSchoor, https://www.mdbirder.net.
no.
294
H O T S P O T S
(^) N
E
A
R
(^) Y
O
U
http://www.BirdWatchingDaily.com/hotspotsmap
sites nearby
Skimmer Island
Less than a mile from inlet. Turn right
onto S. Baltimore Ave. from the parking
lot and turn left onto 3rd St. Parking
on the right. Dense flocks of pelicans,
terns, gulls, and other birds.
Assateague Island
Ten miles from the Inlet. Great views
of Cattle Egrets on the backs of wild
ponies. Piping Plover also possible.
Snowy Owl possible in winter.
ocean city inlet
worcester county, maryland
38°19'30.22"N 75°5'15.97"W