Mallows Bay Eco Tour - Final

<div><br></div><div>Known as the “fish hawk,” ospreys are mid-sized raptors, or birds of prey, that live near water. Ospreys stay with the same mate for life and often return to the same nest every year. Each year, their nests grow larger as they continue to add sticks and other materials. Ospreys live in the Mid-Atlantic region from March to August, which is their breeding season. At the end of the summer, they fly to Central and South America for the winter.<br><span><br>In previous years, a pair of ospreys built a nest in the tree on the shoreline here every year but the nest is currently no longer there after a storm destroyed it. Ospreys are resilient, relocating and rebuilding their nests when nature takes its course. Perhaps they will return to this spot in the future, or build a new nest nearby!</span></div>

While paddling past the row of pilings, it is common to see double-crested cormorants drying their wings. This common waterbird has less oil on its feathers than other waterbirds. With less oil, water soaks into their feathers instead of dripping off. The extra water they absorb makes them heavier, which helps them dive deeper and faster to catch prey. They are excellent divers and eat a wide variety of fish.<br><span><br>You may also see wooden platforms on top of these pilings. These platforms were built by Mallows Bay Park staff to help support the nesting ospreys. The ospreys liked building their nests on the pilings, but they would get washed away during storms and high tides. The nest platforms help provide additional space and height for the osprey nests, ensuring they are safe all season long.</span>

The<i> Accomac</i> is home to two osprey nests. Ospreys like to build their nests in open areas, high off the ground so predators cannot get to them. They often build their nests at the top of trees, or on man-made objects like nest platforms, telephone poles, or shipwrecks like the <i>Accomac</i>.<br><br>Click&nbsp;<a href="https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/accomac-b37b10a438ac47b58aad669a54c460c1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" title="Link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/accomac-b37b10a438ac47b58aad669a54c460c1">here</a>&nbsp;to view a 3D model!

In the channel of the river, there is a real-time water quality testing buoy that is managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Through its Eyes on the Bay program, data is collected every 15 minutes. The buoy collects data on water temperature, salt levels, pH, dissolved oxygen, how clear the water is, and chlorophyll, or the levels of algae in the water. This data is used to make decisions, check trends over time, and inform people of the water conditions. Click here to learn more about the water conditions of Mallows Bay:&nbsp;<a href="https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/visit/water.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" title="Link: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/mallows-potomac/visit/water.html">Current Conditions</a><span><br><div><br></div></span>

The water quality buoy also uses an acoustic telemetry receiver that collects data on fish that have been tagged with a transmitter for research. Sanctuary staff collect and look at the data in partnership with the&nbsp;Smithsonian Environmental Research Center<span>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;</span>Mid-Atlantic Acoustic Telemetry Observation System<span>. The data helps sanctuary staff and partners better understand what fish species are in the sanctuary, including any rare, endangered, or threatened species. Since 2019, the receiver has recorded 26,715 detections from 44 tagged fish.</span>

<span><i>Benzonia</i> rests on top of the <i>Caribou</i><span>, another U.S. Shipping Board wreck. The two ships together make for one of the most captivating sights in the Ghost Fleet. Half of the <i>Benzonia</i> rises out of the water and is filled with plant growth. This growth supports a variety of species, including an osprey’s nest on the back of the ship.<br></span></span><br>To view a 3D model of these vessels, <a href="https://skfb.ly/oNvTQ" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">c</a><a href="https://skfb.ly/oNvTQ" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">lick here.</a>

<span>At the northernmost edge of Mallows Bay, the remains of several ships have created a landmass known as Grady’s spit. Over time, sediment got trapped in the hulls of the ships, creating a new landmass that changed the shoreline. Wetland plants began to grow as water currents and birds deposited seeds. Today, Grady’s spit offers a welcome landing spot for the tired paddler to get out and stretch their legs on a small beach.<br><br>As part of a water quality monitoring program, volunteers visit the spit and the Mallows Bay boat ramp weekly to take water samples. The results are posted on the <a href="https://www.theswimguide.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">SwimGuide</a>, letting the public know if the water is safe and healthy. This volunteer program is run by the <a href="https://www.potomacriverkeepernetwork.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Potomac Riverkeeper Network</a>.<div><br></div></span>

<span>The wreck sites of <i>Moosabee</i>, <i>Dertona</i><span>, and an unidentified vessel, are known as the “Three Sisters.” The ships sit near the shore and up against a bluff. This site also sits the furthest of all of the Ghost Fleet from the open water. Each ship is covered in lush plant life, such as common marsh plants like marsh tickseed and cardinal flower. The unidentified ship is known to have an active beaver lodge, which shows how these ships have turned into a vital part of the local ecology. The ships now provide sanctuary to mammals, birds, and other animals, as well as different kinds of plants, allowing nature to thrive.</span></span><br>

<span>These two unidentified ships are called "flowerpot" wrecks. They get their name from the plants growing inside the ships, much like how plants grow in a flowerpot. Rocks were put in their hulls to weigh them down and keep them from drifting. As time passed, sediment and seeds gathered inside, turning them into man-made islands. Today, they help to make the shores of Mallows Bay strong and stable. As land plants began to grow on these wrecks, the wetland area was extended along the shoreline. Soon marsh plants, such as marsh tickseed, cardinal flower, and interior sandbar willow, were documented on the site. This area is also important to wildlife that relies on these marsh plants for food, habitat, and breeding. Animals, such as red-winged blackbirds and zebra swallow-tail butterflies, are often seen in the area.</span>

<span>Look up, and you might see an eagle's nest high up in the pine trees. Bald eagles like to build their nests near water, and in older trees that can hold nests that weigh over 1,000 pounds. Bald eagles and ospreys are plentiful in the area and both like to eat fish. Thanks to the healthy waters, there are plenty of fish in Mallows Bay for both!</span>

<div>The shallow water near the shore is a great place for submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), or underwater grasses, to grow. These grasses give food and shelter to fish, crabs, and other animals. When there are plenty of underwater grasses, it means the water is clean and healthy.&nbsp;<br><span><br>There are about a dozen different types of underwater grasses in this area. They can be found from late spring through early fall. The most common ones are water stargrass, coontail, and several types of naiads. In the 1970s and 1980s, a non-native grass called hydrilla was brought to the Potomac River. Today, hydrilla is the dominant grass in Mallows Bay. Hydrilla offers some benefits for the environment and is protected in the Chesapeake Bay. However, it can grow very thick and block out sunlight, which can crowd out native grasses.</span></div>