Species Diversity and Abundance on Hart-Miller Island
On a sparkling autumn October day, I had the privilege of walking the perimeter of Hart-Miller Island in the Upper Chesapeake with expert birder Kevin Graff who does a weekly survey of the island’s species for Maryland Environmental Service (MES) and National Fish and Wildlife (NFWS). Kevin has been surveying weekly for 19 years, weather permitting, and has a Cal Ripken-like streak of surveys combined with an exceptional memory of species diversity and abundance.
How did this eroded speck of land become an 1100-acre Important Bird Area (IBA) and Maryland’s second E-Bird Hotspot with a total of 305 bird species seen on the island? In the late 1970s it became illegal to dump dredge spoils in the Chesapeake Bay. The state decided to “rebuild” Hart-Miller Island, which had eroded to five acres, as a containment facility. Originally part of a peninsula extending out from Edgemere in Baltimore County at the mouth of the Middle River, what remained of Hart-Miller was perfectly located near the mouth of the Patapsco where the shipping channel needs constant dredging.
The nearby communities were opposed to having contaminated dredge spoil “dumped” in their backyard, but the state (a partnership between MES, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Maryland Port Administration) prevailed. In 1981 Hart and Miller Islands were joined by a dike, and the ambitious process of creating a new island began. Twenty-eight years and 100 million cubic yards of sediment later, a new ecosystem has been created, and Maryland has a new state park.
When the State looked for a new site for dredge spoils upon the completion of Hart-Miller, the Poplar Island restoration project began. The communities along Tilghman Island welcomed the shoreline protection and habitat creation provided by Poplar Island which will be similar in size to Hart-Miller upon completion.
The 800-acre North Cell of Hart-Miller is still under construction, but since 2016 the 300-acre South Cell has been open to the boating public from May 1 through September 30. Sailors who drop the hook and dinghy ashore for the day will find bike rentals, eight miles of trails, water, restrooms, and bird guides and binoculars. Tread lightly as managing for recreation and wildlife is always a delicate balance. If you want to put the kids ashore in a tent (yes, my parents did that!), there are 22 campsites with picnic tables and grills. (Go to dnr.maryland.gov and search for “Hart-Miller.”)
When approaching from the south, proceed with caution through the Hart-Miller Island cut. Be sure to check the tides. The northern approach provides a better option for deeper draft vessels. Presently the only way to visit Hart-Miller is on a private vessel.
Sailors who love birds will be thrilled by the varied habitat of pine forest, mud flats, ponds, and marsh. Due to its location on the flyway, Hart-Miller hosts a large variety of spring and fall migrants as well as summer breeders and overwintering birds. Daily numbers of birds can exceed a thousand in the spring and fall. On my walk we saw 83 species with a total of 3405 individuals. Many of the birds we saw I had never seen in Maryland even though I spend a lot of time looking!
If you are sailing in the Northern Bay, Hart-Miller is definitely worth the visit.
About the Author: Pamela Tenner Kellett is currently channeling her passion for birds into writing a blog for Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership called Feather Underground.
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