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| Did You Know? |
The Friends of Blackwater recently upgraded their Facebook page to the new timeline look. |
Social Media
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Join the Earth Day Litter Pick-Up on April 14
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 Help Make the Refuge Safe for Wildlife On April 14, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge will hold its annual Earth Day Litter Pick-Up. Volunteer to come out to the Refuge and work with staff, Friends of Blackwater members, and other volunteers as we clean up Refuge roads to promote the health of the forest and wetlands, and to make the roadsides safe for wildlife. Snacks and drinks will be supplied by the Friends of Blackwater for everyone who comes. In addition, the Friends of Blackwater will give away special Earth Day t-shirts to the first 30 people who register for this event! If you'd like to bring your family, we have safe areas where children can help out. Visit our Earth Day Litter Pick-Up page for more details about the event and registering. |
Eagle Cam Update
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 Status of the NestAs those who follow our Eagle Cam page are aware, last month a male eagle intruder landed on our nest and killed our two one-week-old eaglets. As eagle populations grow, this type of eagle aggression by unmated adults will become more common, but we were still very sad to see the events play out. If you did not hear the news and wish to learn more about the events, be sure to read our Eagle Cam Web Log, which contains further details. |
Ospreys Return to Blackwater NWR
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Couple Back at Osprey Cam Nest
 Our wonderful ospreys have returned north for another breeding season at Blackwater NWR. Every osprey nest within sight of our Wildlife Drive now has ospreys on it, including our Osprey Cam nest. We hope to have at least two eggs on the Osprey Cam by the end of April, so be sure to tune in and check out the action. |
New Land for Blackwater NWR
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 Refuge Adds 112 Acres
On March 7, Maryland Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski announced that the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission has approved $505,000 in funding to conserve 112 acres of habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife at Blackwater NWR. The acquisition is located just off Shorter's Wharf Road. The privately held land is located on the east side of the Refuge and is being sold to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by the owner. The addition of 112 acres to the Refuge will play an important role in supporting healthy waterfowl populations for decades to come. Since 2008, Senator Cardin and Senator Mikulski have worked to appropriate $4.8 million for land acquisition at Blackwater NWR, which is one of Dorchester County's most popular tourist attractions and crucial to the local economy.
The Migratory Bird Conservation Commission oversees the use of Federal Duck Stamp funds for the purchase and lease of these wetland habitats for national wildlife refuges. For every dollar spent on Federal Duck Stamps, 98 cents goes directly to purchase vital habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Hunters buy Duck Stamps, but anyone can purchase them to help support land conservation in the Refuge System. You can learn more about buying a Duck Stamp on the Friends' website.
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Support the Friends of Blackwater
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Be Sure to Renew Your Membership 
If you've received a renewal reminder from the Friends of Blackwater recently, we ask that you take a few moments to send in your renewal. The Friends count on members for support, which enables us to assist with many wonderful projects at Blackwater Refuge, such as the raptor cams, the Visitor Center gift shop, the land and water trails, and the environmental education program. Please continue to support the Friends as we support one of the best national wildlife refuges in America. |
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