10 Sep Wildlife In and Around Fort McHenry
Throughout my time researching about the history of Fort McHenry, I also noticed how much wildlife there is in the fort and around the edge of the harbor.
Last week, I was able to take a picture of a Bald Eagle inside the fort. It was fascinating to see the eagle circling around the flag a few minutes after the flag change program at 10 am. I learned bald eagles are commonly found around the Fort McHenry site. It was exciting to see the visitors gather to witness the eagle fly.
One interesting thing I learned at Fort McHenry is about 80% of the brick is the original brick used to build the fort. One of the rangers pointed out cat paw prints to a group during a talk. Although there are animals actively in the fort, I never thought about the wildlife during or after the 1800s. I learned brick is also a feature in Baltimore, Maryland early architecture. The development of brick making was part of the labor and history of the city. This print captures the animals that may have been present when Fort McHenry was constructed.
Wildlife in the Harbor and Green Spaces
There are many green spaces around Fort McHenry. Around the monuments there are trails of flowers and other plants. Here I was able to capture a butterfly while walking the trails around Fort McHenry.
While walking in the Sea Trail, I spotted a Cormorant standing at the edge of the harbor. I learned they are common in the summer at Fort McHenry and are always diving to catch fish at the edge of the shore.
Walking around the Education and Visitor Center at Fort McHenry there are several walking trails which lead two different monuments. Although it seems like just a historic fort and visitor center there are much more pathways and nature to walk through making the space beautiful for picnics and site seeing.
While I am here I hope to spot and take a picture of the Baltimore Oriole, Blue Jay, and Northern Cardinal!
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