Plan A Conowingo Dam Eagle Photography Trip!

What Is The Conowingo Dam And Why Is It A Good Place To Photograph Bald Eagles?

The Conowingo Dam is located in Maryland along the Susquehanna River.  It is a hydroelectric dam that generates power for the surrounding area.  During some times of the year it is a popular spot for bald eagle migration.  Up until about 2019, anywhere up to 350 bald eagles would migrate through the area in late November through early December.  From the Fisherman’s Wharf and the parking area they could often be seen flying, fishing and engage in aerial battles over the river and sometimes overhead.  There are not too many places in the United States with such a high number of bald eagles that may be photographed in action.

As the climate has warmed over the years, the number of migrating eagles seems to have declined but it can still be a good spot to photograph eagles in action.  Outside of the peak migration times, there are nesting pairs of bald eagles that reside in the area.  Once the migration is over there is not as much action.  If you spend a full day down there or even just an afternoon and have a long lens (600mm and up is recommended), chances are you’ll come away with some good shots.

How Do You Plan An Eagle Photography Trip To Conowingo Dam?

1. Figure out when you want to go.  The most eagle action will likely be mid November through the end of December.  This will vary every year.
2. Look at the Conowingo Dam daily weather forecast.  A partly sunny day with calm winds makes for good photography and a comfortable day.  It will likely feel colder than forecast down along the river.
3. Consider joining the Conowingo Dam Eagles Facebook Group.  It can be a good place to see how much action there is at any given time.
4. Determine your goals for the trip. If you want to maximize your chances of getting good quality photos, a lens that is 600mm or longer is advisable.  If you’re not into photography, a good pair of binoculars is a must have.  Chances are you will see eagles without a camera, scope or binoculars but any of those will enhance your viewing experience.
5. Figure out where you will stay and book your trip.
6. If it looks like there is a lot of action you’ll probably want to get to the parking area early.  A glance at the Facebook group mentioned above will probably give you a good indication of how crowded the dam is at any given time.  If you can go midweek, it will almost always be less crowded.

Where Should You Stay When Visiting The Conowingo Dam?

While there are no hotels in Conowingo proper, the towns of Aberdeen Maryland and Havre De Grace are both about a 20 minute drive away.  Both towns have plenty of restaurants, shops, gas stations and other attractions.  Gas is much cheaper in Maryland than it is in Pennsylvania.  If you are coming down from PA, you’ll save around $0.50 per gallon if you can fill your tank in Maryland.

If you are a budget traveler like me, you’ll be glad to know there is a large concentration of Wyndham Hotels in Aberdeen and one in Harve De Grace.  The budget Wyndham Hotels in the area include a Travelodge Aberdeen, Days Inn Aberdeen, the Super8 Aberdeen, and the Super8 Harve De Grace.  Most of those Wyndham hotels cost around $50/night during the migration period and through the winter.  Make sure you choose the AAA rate if you are a member and you’ll save a few more bucks.  None of the budget Wyndham Hotels are particularly nice hotels but when I travel, I’m focused on outdoor activities and not particularly concerned about the hotel room.  If you join the Wyndham Hotel Rewards Program, you can sometimes take advantage of points and gift card promotions to quickly rack up points for free rooms and gift cards as well.

There are AirBnB rooms available in the area as well as more upscale hotels.  Choice Hotels has a few hotels around Aberdeen as do other hotel chains.  If you go with Choice Hotels, be sure to sign up for the Choice Hotels Reward Program and start racking up points for free rooms or gift cards.  There are even some independent hotels in the area like the Vandiver Inn in Harve De Grace.

I’ve only stayed at the budget Wyndham Hotels and can’t provide any first hand information on other hotel or lodging options around the Conowingo Dam.  Harve De Grace is a nice little waterfront town with a Lighthouse so that might be one reason to stay there as opposed to Aberdeen.  In any case, there are plenty of lodging options around Conowingo Dam from budget on up!

What Camera Gear Should I Bring To Get The Best Conowingo Dam Eagle Photos?

Photographing bald eagles can be challenging!  When not perched somewhere close, the bald eagles are often flying fast out over the Susquehanna River.  To get good print worthy shots an ideal setup would be something like this:

1. A camera that can shoot at least 7 frames per second preferably a lot more.
2. A lens for that camera that is 600mm or more.  You may be able to get some decent shots with something as short as 200mm but the eagles will need to be really close.  If you have a DSLR camera, something like the Tamron 150-600 G2 lens can be a good choice for under $1,000 used or refurbished.  This is the “budget” option.  Most 600mm or 800mm lenses cost significantly more.
3. A solid tripod. A solid tripod will keep your lens stable.  Holding a big heavy lens while waiting for an eagle to take off can be quite a challenge.  Your arms may start shaking trying to hold it up while waiting for the action to start.
4. A gimbal head for the tripod.  A gimbal head is not necessary but it makes it easier to keep a camera with a large lens focused on a stationary bird.  When the bird takes off, a gimbal tripod head can make it easier to track the eagle as it flies around.
5. Fast, big memory chips or multiple smaller fast memory chips if you prefer smaller capacity chips.  SD cards are cheap but the cheapest ones tend to write data more slowly than a camera can generate it.  The SanDisk Extreme Pro card has worked well for me when photographing flying eagles with a Canon 7D MK II with a Tamron 150-600mm G2 lens.  It has worked well when shooting landscapes with a Canon 5DS-R as well.

Since I’ve been shooting for quite a while, all my gear is DSLR technology.  If you are just getting into photography the new mirrorless camera options that are smaller and lighter may be better options.  Whether you get legacy DSLR equipment or new mirrorless  gear, you’ll still want to aim for at least a 600mm lens for best results at the Conowingo Dam.

Conowingo Dam Eagle Photo Trip Summary

If you are looking for a cool eagle photo opportunity, a trip down to the Conowingo Dam can be a great getaway.  If you want  come away with some good wall art worthy photo prints you’ll need to have a fair amount of decent camera gear to maximize your chance of capturing those photos.  If you are really into eagle photography and want to increase your chances of getting some great shots then plan to spend a couple day or more down there.  It can be a long day trip from the Philly area.  If you want  to minimize your driving and stay the night, there are plenty of cheap budget hotels as well as more upscale options down around Aberdeen and Harve De Grace.  Before you head down, look up the local weather and try to pick a partly cloudy day without a lot of wind.  Since you’ll be standing along the river all day in the shade, be prepared for it to feel 10 degrees colder than the actual forecast.