Friends of Blackwater NWR

06/24/2026

Male bringing in a big fish at the River Osprey Cam nest this week. All 3 chicks in attendance. Any of you anglers know what kind of fish it is?

06/20/2026

While our cam team continues to troubleshoot the equipment issue on the River Cam, we thank Scott Warner for giving us a close-up view of the chicks from today. All 3 still there, thankfully.

06/18/2026

One of the best ways you can help protect turtles is to assist them in crossing roads. Here are some tips to do it right!

1. If possible, stand guard while it finishes on its own. It's always best to avoid touching wildlife if you can.
2. If you must move a turtle, move it in the direction it was heading.
3. Never pick a turtle up by its tail! You could injure it!
4. Move turtles with a car mat or by gently holding them by the back of their shell.

Photo by Courtney Celley/USFWS

06/16/2026

If you live near Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware, their wonderful Blue Heron Gift Shoppe is looking for volunteer help. We love visiting this shop in the beautiful new Visitor Center, so lend them a hand if you can!

Hello Friends!!!!
We love operating the Blue Heron Gift Shoppe but we can't do it without volunteers. We are in some serious need for store help. We only ask for 4 hr shifts. Even if you can only come out once a month, it makes a big difference.

9-12:30 or 12:30-4
M-Sunday
15% discount in our store
Must be 18
Week days and weekends needed.

Training is provided, please email me at: [email protected]

Thanks and please share!

06/15/2026

We have a part arriving soon to fix the hardware issue with our River Osprey Cam. We did visit the nest over the weekend, and at that time we still saw 3 chicks.

06/12/2026

A final reminder that our 2026 Blackwater NWR Photo Contest closes on June 14. Get your photos in now to win cash prizes! All proceeds will support Blackwater Refuge. https://www.friendsofblackwater.org/photo-contest-2026.html

06/08/2026

Thanks to everyone who came out for our Youth Fishing Fun Day and for the volunteers who helped!

06/07/2026

Hi all - we see our wildlife cams have been going up and down. We think there might be some growing vegetation interferring with our microwave transmission, so we're looking into it. Thanks for your patience.

06/05/2026

We have about a week until our Blackwater NWR Photo Contest closes and there's good action at the Refuge. We saw four Black-necked Stilts feeding at the end of the Drive, several Delmarva Fox Squirrels near the Woods Trail, songbirds and woodpeckers around the Drive, and lots of great macro/flora action in the pollinator garden behind the Visitor Center. A reminder we have both adult and youth categories (youth enter for free). Enter your photos by June 14 for cash prizes: https://www.friendsofblackwater.org/photo-contest-2026.html