Havre de Grace: A Morning Visit to Swan Harbor Farm And Back Home With Some Chesapeake Steamed Blue Crabs

I  awoke early in my elegant room at the Vandiver Inn in Havre de Grace, Maryland.   I had accomplished the  half of the reason for my visit, I had seen the waters of the ancient Susquehanna River empty into the Chesapeake Bay. A few weeks earlier I splashed in the headwaters of the river where it flowed out of  Lake Otsego in Cooperstown, New York.  I also enjoyed the historic and scenic town of Havre de Grace.  The second reason for my visit was to bring back hard shells or Chesapeake blue crabs. I had arranged to have a 1/2 bushel steamed at 11 a.m. and I was to pick them up at 11:30 a.m.  in nearby Aberdeen.

First I was going to explore a little  more of the Chesapeake Bay. So  after enjoying a cup of coffee at the Inn, I was off to the Swan Harbor Farm.  This historic farm has a long history  dating back to the early 1600’s. The first settlers arriving shortly after the founding of Jamestown. The farm  is now a County Park with hiking trails  and is reported to be the best birding area in the Havre de Grace area. The farm was  located only about 5 miles from the Inn. The historic house and surrounding farm fields  are now rented out for public events, corporate meetings and weddings.

I parked my Jeep near barn at the visitor center and saw thee were four separate loop trails forming a cloverleaf.  I first  walked on the trail through the fields,

to a gazebo situated overlooking the Chesapeake Bay.

This magnificent scene of the Bay is the setting for weddings. 

There was a trail leading to a pier on the bay.

I walked out on the pier and enjoyed the peace and quiet of the bay.

It was overcast when I arrive at the farm , with a strong, but warm breeze off of the bay.

The temperature was in the upper 60’s.  However the sun tried to break through the clouds

One boat passed by ending  the solitude but evoking feelings of the many folks who traveled on the bay over the centuries.

While standing on the pier I saw a few shore birds including this green heron wading in the waters along the pier,

and a few great blue herons flew over the bay.

There were also a few sandpipers wading in the waters and some barn swallows perched on the pier.

As I was leaving the pier I was delighted to see a bald eagle soar over the farm fields. It would be the first of a few I would see on my 4 mile hike.

I walked back up the pier and past the gazebo and followed the first a  loop trail that took me on a road between the fields and a grove of hardwood trees.

There were some wildflowers growing along the trail including native Jerusalem artichoke flowers and

yellow ironweed or wingstem flowers.

There were also pretty but invasive ivy-leaved morning glories and

hedge bindweed flowers blooming along the trail.

A few  birds were perched on the  utility wires along the trail including eastern wood pee wees,

and eastern kingbirds.

In the woodlands along the trail I found this edible chicken of the woods mushroom.

The trail took me to the farmhouse where I saw a few mockingbirds in the flower gardens.

I walked back to the barn where I parked,

and followed a second loop trail through a field of soybeans.

Another bald eagles and,

a flock of Canada geese flew overhead in the now cloudy skies.

A couple of whitetail deer ran through the lush field of soybeans.

The trail then entered another hardwood forests where I saw two large bald eagles fly off dead tree branches above the trail but before I could get photos.

It looped around and took me back down to the Chesapeake Bay,

and then back to the soybean field.

I  didn’t see any birds in the woodlands or in the fields but I did see this variegated fritillary butterfly. 

I returned to the parking lot and then followed the third loop trial that took me through a wetlands,

where I now saw a lot of bird activity along the marsh,  including a few blue-gray gnatcatchers,

a magnolia warbler,

and a  few more common yellowthroats.

The trail continued above more farm fields,

and here I was able to get a photo of my first blue grosbeak.  I had heard a few on my hikes and saw one before but this was my first photo of this pretty birds.

I then saw my first female blue grosbeak. 

An osprey flew overhead. Here is a link to a gallery on my website with some more photos of the birds I saw on my morning hike. Havre de Grace Swan Harbor Farm birds August 31 2024.

The trail took me back to the main road and the fourth loop trail. It again took me through a soybean field,

\and then into a wetland where there were many water lily seed pods.

I started to see and hear  many birds in the wetlands  but it was now past 10 a.m. and I wanted to get back the Inn for a quick breakfast before I had to check out of my room, I enjoyed my hike at  the historic farm and would love to return in the Spring when the migratory birds arrive. I drove back to the Inn and after breakfast was on my way to the small town of Aberdeen. Here is a link to a gallery on my website with some more photos from  my morning hike along the Chesapeake Bay. Havre de Grace Swan Harbor Farm  August 31 2024.

I picked up a 1/2 bushel of steamed crabs and began my three hour back home to Northeastern Pennsylvania. I enjoyed my trip at the mouth of the Susquehanna. I now visited the beginning and end of this ancient and beautiful river. I hope to return to Cooperstown and Havre de Grace and the many towns in between and to share my adventure on my blog. 

“To put your hands in a river is to feel the chords that bind the earth together.”  – Barry Lopez

fskokoski@gmail.com

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