Foreman's Branch Bird Observatory at Washington College

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Foreman's Branch Bird Observatory at Washington College

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Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Foreman's Branch Bird Observatory at Washington College, Nonprofit Organization, 485 S. Cross Street, Chestertown, MD.

Foreman’s Branch Bird Observatory promotes avian conservation and awareness through research, experiential learning, and community engagement. We are part of Washington College's Center for Environment & Society in Chestertown, MD.

10/24/2026

Myrtle Warbler was the 100th species banded at FBBO this season. They are much drabber in their fall plumage compared to springtime. They can be found on the Eastern shore all winter long and move north out of Maryland for the breeding season.

All banding is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.

10/23/2026

October is peak migration for our site, meaning we are hitting milestones fast this time of season. We banded our 5,000th bird of the season today- a Hermit Thrush! These can look similar to other thrush species, but keep an eye out for their distinct, rust-colored tail compared to the rest of their body. Hermit Thrush was the 108th species banded at FBBO this season on October 10th.

All banding is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.

10/22/2026

Palm Warblers are one of the later warblers that are still moving through our area. Yellow Palm Warblers are the Eastern race, though we do also get Western Palm Warblers.

All banding is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.

10/21/2026

We recaptured a Field Sparrow today that we originally banded on 10/20/2023 as a hatch year bird. We didn’t see it in 2024, but last year we recaptured it on 10/23/25. This bird seems to like late October at FBBO!

All banding is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.

10/20/2026

A male House Finch is a common site at backyard birdfeeders. Females look similar, but lack the reddish head and belly. We just recently banded our first of fall, but we expect more to show up as the weather gets cooler.

All banding is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.

10/19/2026

The kinglets are finally here. Shown are male Golden-crowned Kinglet and Ruby-crowned Kinglet. These species are a true sign of fall. These tiny busy birds flit around foraging for small insects.

All banding is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.

10/18/2026

We had our birdiest day of the fall so far today with 230 new birds banded! The sparrows are coming- we banded 17 Swamp Sparrows (shown here). The weather looks favorable for the next few days so we should be busy.

All banding is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.

10/17/2026

We have only banded a single Hooded Warbler this fall, a female captured back on October 1st. We have never caught one past mid-October, so it will likely be the only one of the season.

All banding is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.

10/16/2026

Today we banded our 4,000th bird of the season! In true October fashion, it was this Eastern White-crowned Sparrow! The sparrows are here in pretty full force now, with just a few more sparrow species arrivals expected later in the month. Species such as Swamp, White-throated, White-crowned, and Song are all sparrows that will spend the winter in Maryland.

All banding is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.

10/15/2026

We’ve heard it said that Eastern Phoebes are the cutest bird. *cough cough* Berkshire Bird Observatory

We have seen an uptick in the number of phoebes around as their migration picks up.

All banding is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Address

485 S. Cross Street
Chestertown, MD
21620

Telephone

+14108108405

Website

https://www.washcoll.edu/learn-by-doing/ces/fbbo.php, https://www.usgs.gov/labs/bird-banding-laboratory/science/why-we-b

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