The Maryland Ornithological Society owns ten sanctuaries, totaling about 3,000 acres, spanning the
state from Garrett County in the west, to Somerset County on the lower Eastern Shore. All of the
sanctuaries are open to the public every day of the year, at no charge, and represent a microcosm of the
habitats for birds and other wildlife in Maryland. Two of the sanctuaries, Carey Run and Irish Grove,
offer overnight lodging in their historic, rustic homes. Many of the other sanctuaries are seldom visited.
Drawing on the files of the MOS Sanctuary Committee, historic accounts in Maryland Birdlife, and
photos and materials provided by MOS members from across the state, Marcia will provide profiles of
the sanctuaries, discuss their birds and habitats, and show maps and photos. Because MOS would
welcome assistance from naturalists in documenting the flora and fauna at the sites, Marcia will
conclude with suggestions on how interested individuals can become involved with the sanctuaries.
About the Presenter ; Marcia Watson is a long-time member of the Maryland Ornithological Society. As a member of the MOS Sanctuary Committee, Marcia is working to foster awareness of the sanctuaries among MOS members and the broader public. Interested in biology and the outdoors from the time she was a little girl, Marcia holds a doctoral degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Delaware, and for over 20 years specialized in research dealing with the environmental signals that animals use to coordinate their lifecycles with seasonal changes such as daylength and temperature. She then moved on to become an academic administrator at University of Delaware and, later, University of Maryland University College. Marcia is now retired and lives with her husband Gene Scarpulla in Bowie, MD. She serves as President and webmaster of the Patuxent Bird Club.
