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Masonville Cove is the nation's first Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership, offering environmental restoration and education in the heart of Baltimore. MASONVILLE COVE PARTNERSHIP COVID-19 UPDATES HOURS Monday - Saturday: 9 am - 4 pm Sunday: Closed Extended Hours: 9 am - Sunset (On the first Friday of every month) Holiday Closures: Christmas Holiday CLOSED 12/24 to 12/28 & will OPEN 12/29 New Years EARLY CLOSE 12/31 at 1PM and CLOSED 1/1 Martin Luther King Jr. Day CLOSED 1/17 and 1/19 LOCATION 1000 Frankfurst Avenue Baltimore, MD 21226 ADMISSION & PARKING Admission and parking are FREE at Masonville Cove. DISCOVER BALTIMORE'S HIDDEN GEM Located in South Baltimore, Masonville Cove is the nation's first Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership, home to a green building nature center and beautiful waterfront public trails. Come and explore your neighborhood green space! Summer Student Groups Registration Required To register, please take the time to fill out the information below. What date would you like to visit? Email What hours are you hoping to visit Masonville Cove? Phone How many students? How many adults? How do you plan to arrive? Submit PLAN YOUR VISIT PLAN YOUR VISIT EDUCATION PROGRAMS EDUCATION PROGRAMS NEWS NEWS EVENTS EVENTS Upcoming Events at Masonville Cove See more future events on our Events page First Friday - Sunset Sound Meditation Fri, Jan 02 Baltimore More info Register Guided Nature Walk Sat, Jan 03 Baltimore, Masonville Cove More info Register January Morning Yoga (1/10) Sat, Jan 10 Baltimore More info Register Community Shoreline Clean-Up Sat, Jan 10 Baltimore, Masonville Cove More info Register January Morning Yoga (1/24) Sat, Jan 24 Baltimore More info Register Nature for Kids: Wonderful Waterfowl Sat, Jan 24 Masonville Cove More info Register Water Quality/Climate Change Science Sat, Jan 24 Baltimore, Masonville Cove More info Register Nature Inspired Book Club: Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver Sun, Feb 01 Baltimore, Masonville Cove More info Register DID YOU KNOW... Masonville was home to nesting bald eagles during spring 2023! Three eaglets hatched in May and started flying in June. Stay up-to-date with all the events happening at Masonville Cove! SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

Masonville Cove is home to Baltimore City's first known pair of nesting Bald Eagles! Watch our live stream of their nest to see if you can spot them! The eagles have successfully raised four eaglets at Masonville Cove so far, and are expected to raise their third nest in Spring 2021. BIRD BANDING VISITOR INTERACTION Mist-nets may be observed from the paths, but visitors should not approach nets. When at the banding site, visitors should feel free to approach and closely observe the banding process; staff and volunteers will interpret the banding process to visitors and to field questions. BIRD SAFETY The safety of captured birds is a primary focus. However, birds are generally hardy critters, and are well equipped to handle swings in temperature, precipitation, and many other hazards. Every effort is made to ensure the safety and well-being of captured birds. Wilson's Warbler (photo credit: Cal Liddell, MPA/MES) BURB Staff and Volunteers remove birds from the mist nets. (Photo Credit: Cal Liddell, MPA/MES) BIRD BANDING AT MASONVILLE COVE Welcome to Bird Banding at Masonville Cove! 2025 is the third year of the banding operation at Masonville, and our location seems to be one of a kind. Urban bird banding stations are rare, making this a unique opportunity to study bird behavior, distribution, and physiology in urban habitats. Evidence suggests that birds migrate differently through urban areas, and these habitats are important to the feeding and nesting of common species. We hope that this bird banding operation can provide useful information on how birds move through Baltimore City and live at Masonville Cove! Mike Hudson at the Bird Banding Station and speaking with visitors about birds up close! Photo credit: Tim Carney, Cal Liddell, National Aquarium WHAT IS BIRD BANDING? PURPOSE Bird banding is one of the most important methods of studying wild birds, as it provides information about longevity and other local demographics, migration connectivity, habitat use, and more. When birds are banded, a range of data are gathered, including weight, body condition, breeding condition, plumage aspect, age, and sex. It also provides an opportunity to detect species that are difficult to find or identify under normal field conditions. PLACEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF NETS Mist-nets are installed during the field effort and are so named because the material they are composed of is fine and difficult to see clearly in most natural lighting. Culverts, fence-lines, ditches, treefalls, stream crossings, dead/over-browsed trees, vernal pools, and similar landscape features (natural and man-made) often create vegetation gaps large enough for mist nets. The spaces also tend to frequent passageways from birds moving through a habitat. BIRD BANDING PARTNERS Our bird banding is led by Banders-in-Charge from Birds of Urban Baltimore (BUrB). BUrB is an education and outreach organization focused on engaging the local community in bird science and conservation through community events, bird banding demonstrations, internships, and more. Bird banding at Masonville Cove is conducted with the support of Maryland Port Administration (MPA), Maryland Environmental Service (MES), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and Living Classrooms Foundation (LCF). BANDING DATES You are more than welcome to join us and observe our bird banding migration studies at Masonville Cove! Bird banding is scheduled to be conducted at Masonville Cove on the following dates: August: 2, 8, 9, 14, 15, 29, 30  September: 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 October: 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 24, 25, 30, 31 November: 1 December: 4, 5, 6, 12, 13 Note: This schedule may change due to weather conditions and events could be canceled last minute. Bird banding staff arrive before sunrise, and visitors are welcome to observe the banding activities when the site opens to the general public at 9:00 AM. Please sign in at the kiosk at the front right side of the Education Center when you arrive onsite. You can also inquire within the Education Center building regarding any additional questions on arrival, or if restroom access is needed. Banding end times vary based on weather, staffing, and number of birds captured, but usually ends before 1:00 PM. Visitors are welcome to explore the trails onsite until 4:00 PM when the site closes. December 2025 Today Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Urban Conservation & Education Internship Discover conservation careers in Baltimore 1 Online application You can easily add your own content to this paragraph. Click on “Edit Text” or double click the Text Box to make it your own. Printable Application 2 A Nutrition Plan You Can Stick To You can easily add your own content to this paragraph. Click on “Edit Text” or double click the Text Box to make it your own. A Nutrition Plan You Can Stick To Let's Get Started First Name Last Name Email Meassage Sign Me Up Thanks for submitting!

​Reach us by phone, email, or in person at Masonville Cove. CONTACT US Address 1000 Frankfurst Ave, Baltimore MD 21226 Online Friends of Masonville Cove Facebook Page Email events@masonvillecove.org Phone 410-354-3532 SEND US A MESSAGE! SUBMIT Thanks for reaching out to us! Someone will get back to you shortly.

Check out past issues of our newsletters to keep up-to-date with what's been happening at Masonville Cove. NEWS MASONVILLE NEWSLETTERS 2025 January 2025 February 2025 March 2025 April 2025 May 2025 June 2025 July 2025 August 2025 September 2025 October 2025 November 2025 2024 January 2024 February 2024 March 2024 April 2024 May 2024 June 2024 July 2024 August 2024 September 2024 October 2024 November 2024 December 2024 2023 2022 January 2023 February 2023 March 2023 April 2023 May 2023 June 2023 July 2023 August 2023 September 2023 October 2023 November 2023 December 2023 January 2022 February 2022 March 2022 April 2022 May 2022 June 2022 July 2022 August 2022 September 2022 October 2022 November 2022 December 2022 2021 January 2021 February 2021 March 2021 April 2021 May 2021 June 2021 July 2021 August 2021 September 2021 October 2021 November 2021 December 2021 2020 February 2020 January 2020 March 2020 April 2020 Mid-April 2020 May 2020 June 2020 Mid-June 2020 July 2020 August 2020 September 2020 October 2020 November 2020 2019 January 2019 February 2019 March 2019 April 2019 May 2019 June 2019 July/August 2019 September 2019 October 2019 November 2019 December 2019 2018 January 2018 February/March 2018 April 2018 May 2018 June 2018 July 2018 August/September 2018 October 2018 November 2018 December 2018 2017 January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July/August 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017 2016 January 2016 February 2016 March 2016 April/May 2016 June 2016 July 2016 September 2016 October 2016 November 2016 December 2016 2015 January 2015 February 2015 March 2015 April 2015 May 2015 June 2015 July 2015 August 2015 September 2015 October 2015 November 2015 December 2015 2014 January 2014 February 2014 March 2014 April 2014 May 2014 June 2014 July 2014 August 2014 September 2014 October 2014 November 2014 December 2014 2013 January 2013 February 2013 March 2013 April 2013 May 2013 June 2013 July 2013 August 2013 September 2013 October 2013 November 2013 December 2013 READ THE LATEST NEWSLETTER View the November newsletter. Stay up-to-date with everything happening at Masonville. Click HERE to subscribe! MASONVILLE IN THE NEWS BALD EAGLES NESTING AT MASONVILLE COVE BALD EAGLES NESTING AT MASONVILLE COVE LEARN MORE DOORS OPEN BALTIMORE VIRTUAL TOUR OF MASONVILLE COVE DOORS OPEN BALTIMORE VIRTUAL TOUR OF MASONVILLE COVE LEARN MORE NEWS ITEM NEWS ITEM LEARN MORE NEWS ITEM NEWS ITEM LEARN MORE NEWS ITEM NEWS ITEM LEARN MORE NEWS ITEM NEWS ITEM LEARN MORE

My Items I'm a title. Click here to edit me. Nature Inspired Book Club: Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver Come and join us to learn, discuss, and connect during a special book club event at the Masonville Cove Environmental Education Center in Baltimore. Prodigal Summer is the fifth novel by American author Barbara Kingsolver. More Nature for Kids: Wonderful Waterfowl Join us for an in-person craft inspired by nature! We will share stories and learn about the winter birds and waterfowl at Masonville while making our own creative binoculars. Enjoy the great outdoors on a walk with us afterwards and take a moment to appreciate these animals! Registration required. More Bird Banding Fall 2025 The Masonville Cove Partnership invites you to join Birds of Urban Baltimore and our bird banding studies on campus! See the bird banding process up-close, and learn how urban greenspaces help migrating birds! Registration reserves your spot, walk-ins welcomed. More Bird Banding Fall 2025 The Masonville Cove Partnership invites you to join Birds of Urban Baltimore and our bird banding studies on campus! See the bird banding process up-close, and learn how urban greenspaces help migrating birds! Registration reserves your spot, walk-ins welcomed. More Bird Banding Fall 2025 The Masonville Cove Partnership invites you to join Birds of Urban Baltimore and our bird banding studies on campus! See the bird banding process up-close, and learn how urban greenspaces help migrating birds! Registration reserves your spot, walk-ins welcomed. More Bird Banding Fall 2025 The Masonville Cove Partnership invites you to join Birds of Urban Baltimore and our bird banding studies on campus! See the bird banding process up-close, and learn how urban greenspaces help migrating birds! Registration reserves your spot, walk-ins welcomed. More Bird Banding Fall 2025 The Masonville Cove Partnership invites you to join Birds of Urban Baltimore and our bird banding studies on campus! See the bird banding process up-close, and learn how urban greenspaces help migrating birds! Registration reserves your spot, walk-ins welcomed. More Water Quality/Climate Change Science Join us in becoming a water scientist for a day! Learn what it takes to be a water scientist and help with climate change impact data collection! Registration required. More Community Shoreline Clean-Up Make Captain Trash Wheel proud and help clean up the shoreline at Masonville Cove! Student service learning hours opportunity. Registration required. More Guided Nature Walk Join us for a guided walk around campus! There is always something new to see and learn about as seasons change. Registration required. More First Friday - Sunset Sound Meditation Join Katie Detrich for a free guided indoor meditation experience at Masonville Cove! Bring a pillow and blanket if you like! Yoga mats will be available. Enjoy a candlelit atmosphere, herbal tea and healing sounds. More January Morning Yoga (1/24) Join Katie Detrich for a free guided meditation experience at Masonville Cove! Bring a pillow and blanket if you like! Yoga mats will be available. Enjoy the environment, herbal tea and healing sounds. More

A list of resources and lessons for all ages to do from your home. FREE ONLINE ACTIVITIES TO DO FROM HOME ABOUT OUR ONLINE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES The following resources were created for families to explore and learn about Captain Trash Wheel, Bald Eagles, and nature at Masonville Cove. To schedule a virtual field trip, please see the Schedule a Field Trip page for more information. EXPLORE THIS SECTION How does Captain Trash Wheel Work? Online game Other educational resources Other educational resources Scavenger Hunt and Activities to do while visiting Masonville Cove Eagle Expedition Take part in these scavenger hunts with your kids in English and Spanish while exploring Masonville Cove. Monthly Scavenger Hunts at Masonville Cove English July August September October Español November December January February Scavenger Hunts Other Edu Resources Other Online Educational Resources Environmental Educator's E-Learning Portal MAEOE's Resource Library DNR's At Home Learning Resource Page Living Classrooms Distance Learning Library Washington Post Parent's Guide to Activity Resources

Learn about what to see and do during your visit to Masonville Cove. PLAN YOUR VISIT CAMPUS HOURS Monday - Saturday: 9 AM - 4 PM Sunday: Closed Extended Hours: 9 AM - 8 PM (On the first Friday of every month) Click HERE to see a trail map. Please note Eagle Restrictions begin generally in November and are in place until the summer. LOCATION ADMISSION & PARKING Admission and parking are FREE at Masonville Cove. Visitors must sign in at the Education Center when they arrive. Thank you in advance! ARRIVAL BY WATER Kayakers are welcome to arrive by water! Please note that landing is only allowed at the beach by Captain Trash Wheel. Please view the campus hours and site rules on this page. On arrival, please sign in with the form linked here. Happy trails! Menu EXPLORE THIS SECTION General Facility & Accessibility Information LEARN MORE Education Center LEARN MORE Weekend & Evening Events LEARN MORE Outdoor Sights & Activities LEARN MORE Masonville DMCF Tours LEARN MORE Site Rules & Information LEARN MORE General Facility and Accessibility Information OVERVIEW Masonville Cove is an Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership located in Baltimore, Maryland. The area has a rich history, but by the 1960s had fallen into disrepair and was littered with large amounts of discarded materials. Restoration of the Cove by MDOT MPA began in 2007, and continues today. The project aims to provide benefits to local wildlife and the surrounding community in return for their support of Port operations. Today Masonville Cove includes 70 acres of water and 54 acres of restored wetlands and nature trails. The site also features an Education Center with a back deck overlooking the Cove, outdoor picnic tables, a fishing pier, and more. AMENITIES Admission and parking are free to all visitors at Masonville Cove. Parking is located directly in front of the Education Center. We do ask that all visitors sign in at the Education Center so that we can provide safety information and keep track of everyone visiting the site. Restrooms and water can also be found in the Education Center. ACCESSIBILITY Masonville Cove is designed to be accessible to visitors. Some accessibility features include an elevator in our Education Center, as well as ramp access to the outdoor areas of the Cove. Please let us know if you have specific questions about site accessibility. GENERAL FACILITY & ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION Education Center OVERVIEW The Masonville Cove Environmental Education Center (MCEEC) provides enjoyable exhibits and information for our site visitors, and plays an important role in the environmental education the Living Classrooms Foundation provides for students. We invite all our visitors to explore this state-of-the-art green building to learn about the history of Masonville Cove and the wildlife that now call it home. AMENITIES In the main education room you'll find interactive (hands-on) kid-friendly displays and see our animal ambassadors. Historic artifacts found during the environmental restoration of the Cove are also on display on the main floor. Restrooms and water are available inside the Education Center on the first floor, and an elevator in the building can transport visitors downstairs to access the back deck, if needed. Downstairs in the Education Center are two student laboratories that Living Classrooms Foundation uses to provide rich, hands-on environmental education experiences for visiting classes. EDUCATION CENTER Outdoor Sights and Activities SIGHT-SEE FROM THE BACK DECK The large back deck behind the Education Center is the perfect place to look out over the Cove, enjoy a snack, or bird watch. HIKE AND EXPLORE THE COVE Take a walk along the beautiful trails that run across the property. Most trails are very level and easy to walk. Masonville Cove is home to hundreds of different kinds of birds and other wildlife, so keep your eyes open while you're exploring— you'll be amazed by how much you see! EAT A PICNIC Pack a meal or snack to eat at the picnic tables located outside the Education Center. Food is not permitted on the waterfront campus/trails. BIRD WATCH Masonville Cove is one of the top birding "hot spots" (places with the most different types of birds observed) in the entire state of Maryland! Over 230 different kinds of birds have been found at the Cove, from song birds to waterfowl to raptors. In 2019, Masonville Cove was home to Baltimore City's first known pair of nesting bald eagles, which raised two eaglets. MEET CAPTAIN TRASH WHEEL Stop by, say hello, and take a selfie with our trash-gobbling, googly-eyed hero! Click here to learn more about Captain before your visit. FIND MASONVILLE'S GEOCACHE Explore Masonville while "geocaching ," a fun activity that enables players to use phones (or other GPS-enabled devices) to participate in real-life, outdoor treasure hunts. The hunt for Masonville's geocache will lead you on a scenic exploration of the Cove and eventually to a "treasure chest" (geocache container)! Click here to view a video to learn more about Geocaching at Masonville Cove. FISH AT THE PIER Visit our fishing pier to get a closer look at the river. You can walk along the trails to the pier, or can access it from the water by non-motorized boat. You can also go fishing from the pier (state laws regarding required fishing license apply). Bring your own poles or ask at the Education Center to borrow one. OUTDOOR SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES DMCF Tours OVERVIEW If you're interested in learning more about the Port of Baltimore's role in the restoration of Masonville Cove, consider a behind-the-scenes tour of the nearby Masonville Dredged Material Containment Facility (DMCF). Tour groups go on a guided riding tour of the DMCF, which is located adjacent to the restored areas of the Cove. TOUR CONTENT During the tour you'll learn about how the creation of the DMCF and the stewardship of the Port of Baltimore helped transform the Cove from a neglected waste to the habitat you see today. Because the DMCF is a construction site, these are prearranged guided riding tours only. MASONVILLE DMCF TOURS Site Rules and Information THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT PERMITTED: Smoking Fires Alcohol Drugs Weapons Illegal activities Swimming/ wading Skateboarding/ skating ATVs, bicycles, or horses Motorized boats Digging Pets* *Trained service animals (as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act) are allowed. We ask that all visitors follow our site rules in order to ensure that Masonville Cove remains safe and protected for our resident wildlife and other visitors enjoying the site. Please help us keep the Cove beautiful by not littering, and by leaving nature where you find it. Don't collect plants or animals, either alive or dead (they're still important for the ecosystem). SITE RULES & INFORMATION

Masonville Cove is home to Baltimore City's first known pair of nesting Bald Eagles! Watch our live stream of their nest to see if you can spot them! The eagles have successfully raised four eaglets at Masonville Cove so far, and are expected to raise their third nest in Spring 2021. BALD EAGLES AT MASONVILLE BALD EAGLE FACTS Bald eagles are one of the largest and most iconic birds in America. Adults have chocolate-brown feathers on their bodies and bright white feathers on their heads and tail feathers. Younger eagles are entirely brown or have a mix of brown and white feathers until they are about five years old. Eagles of all ages have bright yellow eyes, bills, and legs. Size Adult eagles are one of the largest raptors in North America. They can grow to be 2 to 3 feet long, weigh nearly 14 pounds, and have a wingspan of 6.5 feet. Range Bald eagles can be found throughout North America. They are particularly widespread in the winter, during their nonbreeding season. Habitat Eagles live in coastal areas and near water. This includes rivers, lakes, marshes, and reservoirs. They also rely on forested areas with tall trees for nesting. Diet Bald eagles are primarily carnivores (meat eaters) and rely on fish they catch in the waters near where they live. Eagles are opportunistic, though, and will also eat reptiles, mammals, other birds, and even dead animals. Life Span Eagles reach maturity at about 5 years old. This is also when they will have their full adult plumage with the distinctive white feathers on their heads. Eagles can live about 15 to 30 years in the wild. Source: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/ OUR EAGLE WEBCAM NEEDS REPAIR MEET THE EAGLES Masonville Cove is home to Baltimore City's first known pair of nesting Bald Eagles! The eagle pair was first spotted at Masonville Cove in December 2018. While single eagles are frequently seen near Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay, seeing a pair together at that time of year was a strong indication that they were looking to nest. It was incredibly exciting to watch the eagles start to build a nest in a large tree on the campus soon after. The eagles successfully hatched and raised two eaglets in Spring 2019. During the time the eagles were nesting, USFWS and other Masonville Cove partners monitored the eagles' behavior and took steps to make sure the eagles weren't disturbed by people. USFWS banded the eagles late in the spring. Masonville's adult eagles were back again in Spring 2020. They chose to use the same nest they built in 2019, and went on to raise two more healthy eaglets! In 2021 the pair returned to Masonville and created a new nest out of sight from our eagle camera. Away from the limelight, the adult eagles successfully raised three healthy eaglets. It's incredibly exciting and rewarding to see the eagles at Masonville, since it shows the quality and value of the Cove habitat for wildlife. In 2022 the adult eagles returned but did not produce a nest. In 2023 the adult eagles successfully nested and raised three healthy eaglets! The eaglets stayed near Masonville until they were ready to migrate for the season and enjoyed the plentiful fish and habitat they called home. We look forward to bringing more updates on the 2024 nesting season! Stay tuned for future updates, pictures, and videos of our feathery friends! BALD EAGLE SPOTTING TIPS Some restrictions are in place at Masonville Cove to help prevent the eagles from being disturbed while they are nesting. You can still view the eagles from the back deck of the Education Center and from the Captain's Trail on the campus. The best places to view the nest are the back deck and mid-way down the Captain's Trail. Look toward the treeline along the Sycamore Trail. The nest is toward the top of the tree. It looks large and branchy. If the eagles are on the nest you may be able to see them with binoculars or a birding scope. The eagles won't always be on the nest, particularly early in their nesting period. Look for the eagles flying around the cove or perched on the limb of a tree near the water. You can spot the eagles by looking for large, black or brown birds with white heads. Eagles will stand out because of their size (they are much, much larger than most other birds that live at Masonville Cove) and their white heads. PLAY OUR "EAGLE EXPEDITION" GAME Imagine what life would be like as a Bald Eagle! Would it be easy to survive, or would there be challenges? In this interactive game students pretend to live like eagles and learn about how wildlife conservation efforts have helped eagles. This lesson can be paired with a short distance learning presentation from Port of Baltimore educators. LEARN MORE ABOUT EAGLES Cornell Lab of Ornithology Audubon Field Guide National Geographic Kids Smithsonian National Zoo

Fill out a field trip request form to start planning your hands-on educational experience at Masonville Cove. SCHEDULE A LIVING CLASSROOMS FIELD TRIP Fill out a field trip request form to start planning your hands-on educational experience at Masonville Cove. SUBMIT A FIELD TRIP REQUEST The Living Classrooms Foundation is offering in-person field trips and currently booking for the school year. Click here to read descriptions of each of our field trip programs. See below for more information or email nhouston@livingclassrooms.org . To schedule, please submit the form below. How would you prefer to be contacted? Email Phone Program Themes I'm Interested In Birdy Bonanza Budding Botanists Erosion, Weathering, and Landslides, Oh My! Exploring the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Hidden Hibernators Insect Encounters Island Fever Stream Study: Baltimore's Water Quality Terrapin Tales Tracks and Scat Who Killed Rocky Rockfish? Wonders of Wildlife! Customized Lesson Themes SUBMIT Thanks for reaching out to us! You will receive an email confirming your field trip request, and someone will get back to you shortly.