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Other Activities
Birding and Butterflies
The narrow valley and protected wetlands that enclose Little Bennett Creek and its tributaries support an exceptional habitat for wild birds. The Maryland Ornithological Society lists over 140 bird species that may be found in Little Bennett Park, ranging from such rarely sighted species as the common loon and the American woodcock to abundant species such as blue jays, carolina chickadees, robins, crows and northern cardinals. A recent state-wide survey found 17 forest interior dwelling species including red- shouldered hawk, barred owl, hairy woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, black-and-white warbler, redstart, worm-eating warbler, ovenbird, Louisiana waterthrush, Kentucky warbler, and scarlet tanager. This indicated that Little Bennett Park protects large areas of a high quality forest.
Little Bennett Park is a great place for birding!
One of the most popular bird walks proceeds east along Kingsley Trail from the Kingsley parking lot on Clarksburg Road. The trail here passes close to Little Bennett Creek and the wetland buffer that envelopes it. Creek water plus the availability of numerous food sources, nesting sites and heavy underbrush offering cover attract many birds to this area. A field report from a recent Audubon Society hike on this trail observed that "a stunning diversity of long-distance migrants utilize this park during the breeding season." A good bird viewing site conveniently accessible by motor vehicle is the large meadow at the entrance to Prescott Road from Lewisdale Road on the north side of the Park. The meadow here offers exceptional views of Sugarloaf mountain as well as two ponds that adjoin the golf course. The pond water and rich diversity of insects found in the meadow attract numerous birds including many hawks and an occasional heron. The open nature of the meadow and its close proximity to Prescott Road enable easy viewing of these and numerous other species. Several blue bird boxes are sited at the edge of this meadow. The best time to visit this site is the May-June time period when mown paths enable you to envelope yourself in the sights and sounds of a gorgeous and thriving meadow habitat. For those interested in learning more about or viewing birds in Little Bennett Park, the Audubon Naturalist Society, Maryland Ornithological Society, and Montgomery Bird Club are among organizations that occasionally sponsor or conduct guided bird walks in the Park. While these hikes are sometimes open to the public, often they are restricted to club members so please check in advance before signing up for any of these walks. Many of the same fine natural habitat attributes that attract so many birds to Little Bennett Park also attract a lengthy list of butterflies to the Park. The Washington Area Butterfly Club lists many guided butterfly walks and events for the Washington area. The WABC's website also provides a link to a list of butterflies found in Maryland, though no known listing of butterflies found in Little Bennett Park exists.
The large picturesque meadow on Prescott Road near Lewisdale Road is one of many great spots to view birds and butterflies in Little Bennett Park.
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