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Leaves in the morning light Come into my web! Today I decided to change things up a bit and visit the Audrey Carroll Sanctuary near Mt. Airy, but still located within Frederick County.  We are fortunate to have two large sanctuaries right here in Frederick County.

This brochure has information about the sanctuary, and in particular, information about Audrey Carroll, the woman for whom the sanctuary is named. http://www.centralmdaudubon.org/faasmap.htm

As with the Fred Archibald sanctuary, there are trails and woodland and natural habitat.  Trails are mowed and between them in the open areas is an abundance of native plants and grasses, which provide cover and habitat for various kinds of birds and wildlife.  Some sparrows nest on the ground, so grassy cover is essential to keep them out of view of hawks and other predators.  I have disturbed deer on my walks that were lying in the grasses, too.

A skipper surveys his domain. An acmon blue butterfly I was happy to meet Mark Kulis today, with whom I have been corresponding via email.  He is the committee chair for sanctuaries at the Audubon Society of Central Maryland, and today he was doing some maintenance at Audrey Carroll.  The sanctuaries depend on volunteers for much of the maintenance at both sanctuaries (there is a lot of brush to clear, weeds to pull, and grass to mow), and another volunteer named Karen was weeding.  She told me she recently retired and has been busy with volunteer outdoor activities ever since.  I'm hoping to meet with the board of directors in September to talk about ways that this blog and my photos can assist with supporting the mission of the society and the sanctuaries in particular.

Ruins of the dairy Ghosts of the dairy There is an old diary milking station on the property, with ghostly figures spray-painted on the walls.  It has really become overgrown since my first visit there about three years ago.  Another difference on this sanctuary is the presence of a house (used for sanctuary business) and a pond.

If you're looking for a good place to take a walk and enjoy nature, try out one of our two Frederick County sanctuaries.  Don't be deterred by a locked gate.  Park by the gate and step over the low rail on either side of the gate.  Obey the posted rules and enjoy!

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>