A dull name, but a dazzling landscape
Despite its bureaucratic title, Merkle Natural Resources Management Area is full of towering trees and beautiful birds aybe it’s the poet inme that objects to bureaucratically manufactured titles for places that give you no hint of their innate beauty an
MI’d heard about it years ago but never considered it a place worth investigating, just because the name sounded so dull.
First of all, the acronym NRMA reads like “normal.” Not an alluring allusion when you’re looking for adventure. “Management” conjurs up visions of neckties, board rooms and pie charts.
But I was wrong. Wewent there on one of those dazzling late fall days lastweek, Louise and I, and we were amazed. Andwe explored only one little sliver of its 1,900 acres.
It turns out that Edgar Merkle owned the 400-acre farm that is nowthe core of the area. According to the official web site, Merkle was a conservationist who devoted much of his life to protecting and providing for wildlife.
He started with a handful of breeding pairs of Canada geese and a habitat improvement plan. Eventually, he encouraged thousands of geese to visit the farm to feed and rest. In1970, the Merkles sold their land, including some donated parcels, to
the State ofMaryland.
Merkle died in 1984, but his lasting legacy is this sweeping expanse of bottomland tucked into a bend of the Patuxent River just downstream of Jug Bay. It’s on the Prince George’s County side, about 45 minutes from Annapolis. Most of the management area lies betweenMataponi Creek to the north and Lookout Creek to the south.
There are several marked trails, most of which are relatively flat, owing to the site’s presence on the river’s broad flood plain. The one marked “Lookout Creek” was particusunrise to sunset. We could see 3 p.m., year-round. larly intriguing, since whatwas the large bird-viewing area Fromthe visitor center, we being looked out forwasmost through the picture windows on could see the Patuxent about a likely the British fleetmoving up the upper floor. mile off, sowe decided to stroll the river to attackWashington in Iwishwe’d had the time on down the country lane go get a 1814. this short fall day to orient ourcloser look. That took us past
Another trail, called the selves on the Critical Area Drivplacid ponds and fields of har“Mounds” trail, has hand-dug ing Tour that circumnavigates the vested corn where therewere embankments that might have propertywith a gravel road. It’s large flocks of Canada geese grazing.servedtoprotectAmericanopendailyfordriving,hiking, troops doing the looking out for biking and horseback riding. According to thewebsite, the the Redcoats. Because it’s so flat, itwould be geese arrive in mid-October and
We parked at the Frank Oslislo ideal for an easy bike ride. stay until late February or early visitor center. Sincewewere One leg of the driving tour runs March. About100 of them are too there during theweek, itwas north to connect with Prince complacent to migrate at all and closed. It’s only open onweekGeorge’s County’s Patuxent River find the grounds perfectly accomends from10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but Park, but that part of the road is modating all year long. the grounds are open daily from only open Sundays from10 a.m. to During the peak of the season, more than 2,000 geese might be hanging out here. On that particular day, we sawhundreds of geese, not thousands, but still a lot more than I sawon a recent visit to BlackwaterNationalWildlife Refuge on the Eastern Shore.
Over the course of ourwalk, we delighted in spotting an AmericanKestrel perched at the peak of a tree, Carolina wrens, white-throated sparrows, raucous blue Jays and flickering Eastern bluebirds, not to mention other little brown birds too shy to be identified for sure.
I thought I spotted one that looked enticingly like a Baltimore oriole for a second. Better spotters thanwe are have sighted more than 220 species of birds at Merkle.
Along theway, we marveled at towering species of Atlantic White Cedar trees that seem to be the remains of an ancient hedgerowand amassive white oak tree. We agreed that this terrain reminded us of the English countryside.
Whenwe arrived at the bank of the river, wewere at a bend just belowan expansivemarsh. I could envision Commodore Joshua Barney’s fleet of gunboats pulling against the tide on their way upriver to frustrate the pursuing British fleet in 1814.
We took a break on a convenient bench overlooking the river before looping back through the woods and fields. We reluctantly passed by several side trails that we promised ourselveswe’d return to investigate soon. There’s so much more to see, and it’s so curiously different fromthe habitat of the Anne Arundel County side of Jug Bay.
It seemed as thoughwe had covered a lot of territorywalking to the river and back, but when we got back to the car, wewere surprised to find thatwe had gone just a little more than two miles. Next time, I’ll arrange to bring one ofmy canine buddies from the SPCA along. Dogs on leaches are allowed.
And to the folks atMaryland Department ofNatural Resources: next time you’re naming one of your sites, giveme a call. I’d be happy to take a whack at waxing poetic. Let’s see … what rhymes with “Merkle…”
MerkleNatural Resources Management Area andVisitor Center
Open daily fromsunrise to sunset. Admission is free. 11704 Fenno RoadUpperMarlboro
443-510-9920