Conowingo Dam

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

DavidT

DavidT

Well-known member
Supporting Member
Marketplace
Member's gallery
Hello everyone!
I’m considering visiting Conowingo Dam in November for 3-4 days of shooting. I’m curious if anyone has visited and any tips or tricks you may have?

I want to give a massive shout out to Mark Garfinkel on this forum who has already been giving me info helping me plan a trip. One big take away is cover your car so the vultures don’t eat your window seals.

I’m also curious to those who live or visited the area when do the fall colors drop from the trees? I’m shootings for the week or two prior to Thanksgiving for simple logistics but also trying to visit before it gets brutally cold (I’m from TX after all ) and I was hoping to maybe still get a little color in any backgrounds. I’m also debating driving vs flying to give myself more flex ability on dates, weather etc.

Thanks for any suggestions you may have.
 
Member's gallery
I've been there many times. November is the least desirable time to be there IMO. It is incredibly crowded.

October is my favorite time to go. There aren't as many eagles, but it is so much easier to move around wherever you want to and get the position/angle you want. It's a much more relaxed atmosphere and enjoyable time. The foliage is usually nicer for backgrounds, too.

Another thing I will mention is that there are many, many people who fish there, and there is some conflict in territory between the fishermen and the photographers. If you walk behind them, you're in danger of getting a hook in the face when they whip their lines back to cast. I try to give them a wide berth.

The 2nd time I was there, the black vultures that hang out around the parking area actually ate all of the rubber off of my windshield wipers. If you can cover them, I'd do it.

Also, if you have some time when the eagles aren't doing anything (and you will) don't pass up shooting the cormorants diving for fish or even the black vultures, who can be underrated subjects.

DSC_9144_DxOb.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.


DSC_1999_DxO2b.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.


DSC_3925_DxOb.jpg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
Member's gallery
brachypelma44 said:
I've been there many times. November is the least desirable time to be there IMO. It is incredibly crowded.

October is my favorite time to go. There aren't as many eagles, but it is so much easier to move around wherever you want to and get the position/angle you want. It's a much more relaxed atmosphere and enjoyable time. The foliage is usually nicer for backgrounds, too.

Another thing I will mention is that there are many, many people who fish there, and there is some conflict in territory between the fishermen and the photographers. If you walk behind them, you're in danger of getting a hook in the face when they whip their lines back to cast. I try to give them a wide berth.

The 2nd time I was there, the black vultures that hang out around the parking area actually ate all of the rubber off of my windshield wipers. If you can cover them, I'd do it.

Also, if you have some time when the eagles aren't doing anything (and you will) don't pass up shooting the cormorants diving for fish or even the black vultures, who can be underrated subjects.

View attachment 23580

View attachment 23581

View attachment 23582
Click to expand...
Interesting comment on the timing. From what I’m reading it seems nov-Jan is considered peak time. When you say there are less eagles in October how much less? I also won’t be restricted to just the weekend so I’m not sure if that helps with the crowds. I can see less people would be a major plus but I also don’t want to go and have a poor experience because the eagles aren’t there. Trying to find a balance in weather, background and enough eagles to keep me busy.
 
Member's gallery
Funny, I was at the dam on Sunday and met someone there who said they were helping someone from Texas plan a trip in November. He lives in Wilmington DE, thought his name was Mark, but I'm bad with names...
Anyway, As you say, Nov-Jan is peak usually, but it varies, and you can get good opportunities in Oct. as well. Best to come around dawn to get parking, plan to stay all day, and dress warmer than you think you need - hand-warmers, multiple layers, etc. I 2nd the cormorant comment - they can make for good substitute shooting when the action is slow. Also the more flexible you are on days the better, as with most wildlife trips. Good luck with your planning!
 
Member's gallery
dtibbals said:
Interesting comment on the timing. From what I’m reading it seems nov-Jan is considered peak time. When you say there are less eagles in October how much less?
Click to expand...

There are some bald eagles that live there year-round, so you'll always be able to see some eagles no matter when you go. The question is are they just going to perch on those far-off metal towers all day, or are they going to do something interesting (usually fishing and/or fighting.) Every once in a while, one of them will land in the trees over the parking area, but it's hard to get a good angle to see them clearly when it happens. Their activity level varies by day. Sometimes you will sit there for an hour with nothing happening, and sometimes it's every few minutes. I wish there was more rhyme and reason to it, but it's kind of a luck thing. To use a fishing analogy, some days the fish are biting at everything, and some days nothing you do works.

On the slower eagle days, I shifted focus to the cormorants, which are fun because it's so challenging to shoot them when they surface for only 5-10 seconds and then dive again. Some of them don't bother diving, but wait for some other poor bird to do the work, and then swoop in and try to steal the fish before it can be swallowed. Amusing to watch.

The foliage timing can vary a bit, but peak in a typical year is usually somewhere between the 3rd week of October and the 1st week of November. I just checked the exif data on the eagle photo I posted above, and it was taken on November 6th. (Yes, I prefer October but sometimes it's just a matter of scheduling the time to go.)

Edit: One more thing...there is a clearly marked line on the left side of the shore, to prevent people from getting too close to the dam. If you so much as lean over the line to get a shot, you will get yelled at by security. Don't test them. The extra 2 feet won't improve your photo that much, and it's not a great feeling to get chewed out over it.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
Dick Blystone said:
Funny, I was at the dam on Sunday and met someone there who said they were helping someone from Texas plan a trip in November. He lives in Wilmington DE, thought his name was Mark, but I'm bad with names...
Anyway, As you say, Nov-Jan is peak usually, but it varies, and you can get good opportunities in Oct. as well. Best to come around dawn to get parking, plan to stay all day, and dress warmer than you think you need - hand-warmers, multiple layers, etc. I 2nd the cormorant comment - they can make for good substitute shooting when the action is slow. Also the more flexible you are on days the better, as with most wildlife trips. Good luck with your planning!
Click to expand...
Yes Mark was talking about me! He sent me a nice email of tips from a photographer he met, I’m guess that’s you :) so thank you so very much!
I met Mark on here and sold him my last D850 and accessories and over a long phone conversation I had asked if he had been to the dam. He’s a first class guy for sure!

It is a very long drive (1,397 miles door to door) so I might fly but driving gives me some flexibility. I can book several hotel rooms and cancel or adjust as needed but air travel can be tricky to do that. It also makes bringing a cooler, chair, tarp to cover the car a lot easier vs flying.

I got stuck in Cleveland last night from flight cancelations so I did some research and am pretty excited. Im thinking stay and shoot 3-4 days and have 2 days of driving on each end of the trip. Luckily I can get flexibility with work so I can flex my schedule to accommodate.
 
Member's gallery
Member's gallery
I’m curious if there is a value to having a polarizer for the water level pics? Seems that the pics I’ve seen online they all have a lot of glare from the water.
 
Member's gallery
My local shop has done an event there in November every year for a while, and every year it's a miserable mess of a day between the cold and the wet. He swears never again. My brother's gone a few times representing Canon and he won't go back either. I'm not saying don't go. I'm just saying make sure to pack the wet gear and hand warmers.
 
Member's gallery
Hello David,

I live in Northern Virginia, and have photographed eagles at the Conowingo Dam about 50 times over the past six years. Here are my thoughts:
a. You will encounter the largest number of eagles from mid-November to mid-December. One November, I counted 102 eagles on the opposite shore from the photography area. There are indeed eagles at the dam year-round, but the sheer volume in very late fall/early winter gives you many more opportunities to capture action such as fishing and fighting. b. It does indeed get very crowded at peak time. I would avoid weekends if you can (definitely avoid the Thanksgiving weekend). During the week, you have to arrive at the car staging area about 5:00 am to get a parking spot that is close to where you will set up your camera. The dam security has an elaborate protocol about how to park (send me a PM if you would like details: [email protected]).
c. As one post mentioned, if the weather is bad, it is miserable. Plus, the photography is much less rewarding (higher ISO required, the eagles are against a very white sky, etc). If the sun is out, the photography is great.
I have included a link to a gallery of my raptor images to give you an idea of the possibilities (almost all of the eagles were at the Conowingo Dam): https://pjl-images.com/p737514333
 
Member's gallery
Paul4707 said:
Hello David,

I live in Northern Virginia, and have photographed eagles at the Conowingo Dam about 50 times over the past six years. Here are my thoughts:
a. You will encounter the largest number of eagles from mid-November to mid-December. One November, I counted 102 eagles on the opposite shore from the photography area. There are indeed eagles at the dam year-round, but the sheer volume in very late fall/early winter gives you many more opportunities to capture action such as fishing and fighting. b. It does indeed get very crowded at peak time. I would avoid weekends if you can (definitely avoid the Thanksgiving weekend). During the week, you have to arrive at the car staging area about 5:00 am to get a parking spot that is close to where you will set up your camera. The dam security has an elaborate protocol about how to park (send me a PM if you would like details: [email protected]).
c. As one post mentioned, if the weather is bad, it is miserable. Plus, the photography is much less rewarding (higher ISO required, the eagles are against a very white sky, etc). If the sun is out, the photography is great.
I have included a link to a gallery of my raptor images to give you an idea of the possibilities (almost all of the eagles were at the Conowingo Dam): https://pjl-images.com/p737514333
Click to expand...
Sent you an email.
 
Member's gallery
Dick Blystone said:
Funny, I was at the dam on Sunday and met someone there who said they were helping someone from Texas plan a trip in November. He lives in Wilmington DE, thought his name was Mark, but I'm bad with names...
Anyway, As you say, Nov-Jan is peak usually, but it varies, and you can get good opportunities in Oct. as well. Best to come around dawn to get parking, plan to stay all day, and dress warmer than you think you need - hand-warmers, multiple layers, etc. I 2nd the cormorant comment - they can make for good substitute shooting when the action is slow. Also the more flexible you are on days the better, as with most wildlife trips. Good luck with your planning!
Click to expand...
Dick,
I forwarded your recommendations you gave me on to David. Along with links and other infomation about the area.
Thank you,
Mark
Mark Garfinkel
Wilmington, De
 
Member's gallery
I’ve been reading your post. I never new about this location before. Sounds like a great place to shoot.I’ll have to try and check it out in the fall. Not a long drive for me here in New Jersey. Little over 2 hrs. Thanks for the info.👍
 
Member's gallery
dtibbals said:
Thank you for that link! Interesting it appears there are as many in May as December. That’s odd.
Click to expand...
In Apr and May there is shad run up the river from the Chesapeake Bay that brings in sometimes 100s of Eagles and also coincides with need to start feeding the newly hatched. The Fall peak is generally stated as Thanksgiving (+/-) 4-6 weeks depending upon the weather north of here as that is what brings the Eagles from Jersey, NY etc down in the migration. The quicker and colder it gets the early the Eagles start coming down. As for the immediate area there are several hundred residents that may or may not congregate at the dam other times of the year but as stated there are always a few there. This past Apr was one of the best in the last 3-4 years, Spring or Fall, but was abruptly shut down by cold water that stopped or shortened the shad run. I had days of 1200-1500 shots in less than half a day. Friends had up to 2000 shots in a full day. In the Spring/early Summer you will also have Ospreys but they will be gone mid/late Sep normally.

Also as stated above, the black vultures have damaged many vehicles. They love the rubber seals on the windshields and moor roofs and also crap on the vehicles damage clear coat. A friends wife parked at the lot when you first enter (I recommend never parking there if possible unless you are staying near back and can keep an eye out) while her and her daughter walked the trail along the river. When getting back a couple of hours later, not only had they eaten the seals but also two valve stems and she had two flats. Damage to the seals and clearcoat exceeded $1200.

The key to coming in the Fall is to get there early, i.e. sun up, due to limited parking. Once the lot fills they don't let any one else in until someone leaves. In past years they opened a parking lot in a field at the top of the hill before the entry to the area and ran shuttle busses, every 10-15 minutes from 0900-1500 or so. Last year due to covid they did not and the lot was kept closed. I never go during the Fall on weekends, always week days as the crowds are far less and still have trouble finding parking at times. I tend to go later in the day and lots of folks who get there very early leave 1100-1200 or so and even as early as 1000. I also tend to prefer the afternoon sun better especially as you get closer to the dam itself as many shots are back down river and into the sun so lots of silhouettes an heavily backlit shots.

In the Fall peak it is estimated on weekends that there are $3-4mil of camera equipment along the fence and down on the rocks. It is truly an amazing place. I've met folks from Europe, South America and even Australia out there. Hundreds from the NYC/NJ area come down, especially on weekends. Most locals avoid weekends, period. Don't shy away from coming in Nov, just know what to expect and if possible try to go week days and not weekends. It can be epic with several hundred Eagles in a relatively small area and is said in a good year the Conowingo has the largest congregation of Eagles East of the Mississippi River.

As far as lodging there is nothing in the immediate vicinity of the dam so plan on staying in one of the towns 10-20 miles away though I guess it's not that bad.

One last thing, I'm Blessed to live 15 minutes away. :)
 
Member's gallery
Rick S said:
In Apr and May there is shad run up the river from the Chesapeake Bay that brings in sometimes 100s of Eagles and also coincides with need to start feeding the newly hatched. The Fall peak is generally stated as Thanksgiving (+/-) 4-6 weeks depending upon the weather north of here as that is what brings the Eagles from Jersey, NY etc down in the migration. The quicker and colder it gets the early the Eagles start coming down. As for the immediate area there are several hundred residents that may or may not congregate at the dam other times of the year but as stated there are always a few there. This past Apr was one of the best in the last 3-4 years, Spring or Fall, but was abruptly shut down by cold water that stopped or shortened the shad run. I had days of 1200-1500 shots in less than half a day. Friends had up to 2000 shots in a full day. In the Spring/early Summer you will also have Ospreys but they will be gone mid/late Sep normally.

Also as stated above, the black vultures have damaged many vehicles. They love the rubber seals on the windshields and moor roofs and also crap on the vehicles damage clear coat. A friends wife parked at the lot when you first enter (I recommend never parking there if possible unless you are staying near back and can keep an eye out) while her and her daughter walked the trail along the river. When getting back a couple of hours later, not only had they eaten the seals but also two valve stems and she had two flats. Damage to the seals and clearcoat exceeded $1200.

The key to coming in the Fall is to get there early, i.e. sun up, due to limited parking. Once the lot fills they don't let any one else in until someone leaves. In past years they opened a parking lot in a field at the top of the hill before the entry to the area and ran shuttle busses, every 10-15 minutes from 0900-1500 or so. Last year due to covid they did not and the lot was kept closed. I never go during the Fall on weekends, always week days as the crowds are far less and still have trouble finding parking at times. I tend to go later in the day and lots of folks who get there very early leave 1100-1200 or so and even as early as 1000. I also tend to prefer the afternoon sun better especially as you get closer to the dam itself as many shots are back down river and into the sun so lots of silhouettes an heavily backlit shots.

In the Fall peak it is estimated on weekends that there are $3-4mil of camera equipment along the fence and down on the rocks. It is truly an amazing place. I've met folks from Europe, South America and even Australia out there. Hundreds from the NYC/NJ area come down, especially on weekends. Most locals avoid weekends, period. Don't shy away from coming in Nov, just know what to expect and if possible try to go week days and not weekends. It can be epic with several hundred Eagles in a relatively small area and is said in a good year the Conowingo has the largest congregation of Eagles East of the Mississippi River.

As far as lodging there is nothing in the immediate vicinity of the dam so plan on staying in one of the towns 10-20 miles away though I guess it's not that bad.

One last thing, I'm Blessed to live 15 minutes away. :)
Click to expand...
Wow thank you for all the extra details! I’m shooting for mid November as with holidays and such that’s what my schedule will allow. I had planned to shoot during the week and travel over the weekends. If the 600 arrives in time then I’ll be there this November :)
 
Member's gallery
dtibbals said:
Wow thank you for all the extra details! I’m shooting for mid November as with holidays and such that’s what my schedule will allow. I had planned to shoot during the week and travel over the weekends. If the 600 arrives in time then I’ll be there this November :)
Click to expand...
The 600 will be right at home. Everyway you look you will see 600s of all flavors and even 800s. One guy that shows has a triple head tripod with D5s or D6s, and I believe an 800, 600 and 200-500.

After seeing this post this morning, I decided to give it a try this afternoon. I went out for a couple of hours. I saw 8-10 Eagles but most were well out of range. I have a couple of decent shots I'll share shortly.

One thing I failed to mention earlier is be prepared for the distances. They can easily be 400-500 yards or more, but shots of less than 50-60 feet are common as they come towards you fighting over a fish or just a flyby from the island out from the shooting area to the trees behind us. I used to shoot with a Tamron 150-600 and loved it but 4/20 I got a 500Pf and never looked back. My Tammy stayed loaned out to a friend most of the time since.

One more one more thing. I lot depends on running water, i.e. generators running and releasing water from the reservoir above which brings fish through the turbines and out into the river. The get stunned or killed coming through and float on top or just under. When that happens, things can get magical. It's not unusual to see one grab a fish and 5. 6. 7 start chasing to steal it. Most often they go away from us but a fair amount to us and travel across directly in front.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
Rick S said:
The 600 will be right at home. Everyway you look you will see 600s of all flavors and even 800s. One guy that shows has a triple head tripod with D5s or D6s, and I believe an 800, 600 and 200-500.

After seeing this post this morning, I decided to give it a try this afternoon. I went out for a couple of hours. I saw 8-10 Eagles but most were well out of range. I have a couple of decent shots I'll share shortly.

One thing I failed to mention earlier is be prepared for the distances. They can easily be 400-500 yards or more, but shots of less than 50-60 feet are common as they come towards you fighting over a fish or just a flyby from the island out from the shooting area to the trees behind us. I used to shoot with a Tamron 150-600 and loved it but 4/20 I got a 500Pf and never looked back. My Tammy stayed loaned out to a friend most of the time since.
Click to expand...
I’m planning on taking a 600f4, 200-600 and a 1.4 and 2x converter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top