On Hart-Miller Island, Wildlife Abounds in ‘Manmade’ Space

By Joe Zimmermann, science writer with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Park photographer shares his stories of coyotes, waterfowl and “one turkey” on the dredged island 

Annapolis, MD - To Cory Byrne, nothing sums up Hart-Miller Island like its foxes.

When the seasonal ranger would make his rounds along Hart-Miller Island State Park, he noticed that the foxes would stick around the road, sometimes playing, sometimes snoozing on a rock.

“They’re not scared of the truck driving by,” he said. “They’re less timid than others you’d encounter in the wild, so you’re able to get up a bit closer and get some pictures.”

Earlier generations of foxes likely swam or crossed over ice to the state park, which is just under a mile offshore from Baltimore County. But these young foxes were born on the island, beneficiaries to a habitat unique in the state.

Hart-Miller Island is the result of a decades-long project that brought dredge material from the Baltimore Harbor to the island, shaping the landscape as it exists today. Before 1981, Hart-Miller Island was two separate, smaller islands—Hart and Miller—that were eroding into the Chesapeake Bay.

The environment may be a planned and constructed one, but the island is now home to thriving communities of wildlife. Accessible only by boat, the quiet Chesapeake Bay island also provides an uncommon recreational opportunity close to Baltimore.

After taking up wildlife photography during the pandemic, Byrne has captured images of all kinds of animals during his two years working seasonally at the state park, from raccoons to otters to one lone turkey. He said it’s a perk of the location, where so much wildlife is so accessible.

“On an average workday I probably see more bald eagles, osprey, and great blue herons than sparrows,” Bryne said.

Once when he was helping conduct a deer count on the island, he paused to take a photo of a bald eagle, and a coyote wandered into the background of his frame. He decided to seek out the canine—and found another surprise.

“What we thought was one coyote was apparently two, and they had pups,” he said. “They were walking all around out onto the mud flats, exploring, picking pieces of grass out and trying to steal it from each other, resting their heads on each other. It seemed like a very social gathering for them.”

While he credits many of his photographs to a good zoom lens, Byrne said Hart-Miller Island has a wild feeling, where you never know what you might encounter. He said he often tells hikers and bikers there’s always something to see ahead, whether it’s a turtle or an interesting bird.

Many of his wildlife photos happened when he would drive around the perimeter road of the island, looking for something moving.

Another notable find for Byrne was a group of otters, which he heard about for a while before he was able to track them down. Despite difficulties getting them in focus when they kept swimming away, he eventually got a shot where all four otters were looking at him.

But the biggest draw to the island is probably its waterfowl. Many migrating birds stop at the island, taking advantage of its pools of water and exposed mud flats.

Last year, Byrne photographed a roseate spoonbill—a rarity in Maryland—but said he’s seen all kinds of migratory species on the island.

“It’s one of the best birding destinations in Maryland,” Byrne said. “Any day, you can see a whole flock of something new. They’ll be here a day or two, then move on.”

The dredging that went into the creation of Hart-Miller Island removed sediment that allowed Baltimore to remain a navigable port, but it also created habitat spaces that make the Chesapeake Bay an important stop in the Atlantic Flyway migration route. Similar dredging projects have occurred throughout the Bay, including at Poplar Island, which the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers touts as a “national model for habitat restoration and the beneficial use of dredged material.”

Byrne said the history of the place is part of what makes Hart-Miller Island special too. He said he likes how he can see the ship traffic in the Bay, and at certain places he can see the Baltimore skyline or the Bay Bridge in the distance.

“It’s cool to have a wetlands ecosystem so close to the city and close to Baltimore,” he said. “Even though it’s a manmade area, it feels very untouched by man. The wildlife is just able to be there and be safe. It’s great.”