Black Hill Park

daniel.eberly@gsa.gov
03 Mar 98 09:43:00 (-0500) 

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     Hi Todd & Edna,
     
     Everyone has done a good job of describing the Black Hill/Ten Mile 
     Creek location. The description of the Black Hill/Ten Mile Creek area 
     is on page 88 of the book by Claudia Wilds.  I have always driven 
     North on 270 to the Exit for Route #121 (Clarksburg Road). Going West 
     on 121 until you reach West Old Baltimore Road where you turn left to 
     go to the park entrance and right to go to the Ten Mile Creek area. 
     Unless the creek is low so you can jump rocks or jump across the 
     creek, you must wade through the creek and a wet road to get to the 
     path.  It really is not a big deal. The bottom of the creek is smooth. 
     As mentioned there are paths on the near side of the lake finger so 
     you don't have to cross the stream.  I just enjoy the far side better. 
     The path I took is not very long--probably about a quarter of a mile.  
     You get nice open views of the water and at the end there is a bench 
     to sit on.  I get a feeling of solitude since the area is wooded and 
     houses can't be seen and I enjoy the ducks flying in and out against 
     the backdrop of the wooded shore line. Using a scope, the views are 
     usually much closer than the views of the ducks on the main lake.  
     
     Another area of Black Hill Park that offers good views of ducks, is 
     easier to reach but does not offer any feeling of solitude, is a path 
     at the end of Spinning Wheel Drive which connects with Waters Landing 
     Road. This path starts between houses but soon takes you into the back 
     of Black Hill Park.  The right split goes into the Park and pass the 
     ruins of Waters Mill.  The left path is hard top and is good for baby 
     strollers, bikes, dogs and runners. The hard top path has houses on 
     one side and the lake on the other.  You can get good views of Hood 
     Mergansers and Wood Ducks; and I have seen Green and Blue Winged teal 
     here. Last fall, a very large flock of Ring-Necked Ducks was here 
     (Probably the largest on the lake.).  A Great Horned Owl has been seen 
     sitting on a tree at dusk here and (probably) nesting Red Headed 
     Woodpeckers were seen among the dead trees. I have seen Fox Sparrows 
     and common woodland species along this path--probably attracted by the 
     feeders by the houses. There are also some interesting spring wild 
     flowers along this path.    
     
     I have not extensively walked the paths within Black Hill Park.  Any 
     comments on land birding would be welcomed.
     
     Happy Birding, Dan Eberly

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