Spartina-dominated tidal marsh · Also known as: saltmarsh, tidal marsh, cordgrass marsh
Maryland’s coastal bay salt marshes: cordgrass plains, fiddler crabs, and egret lanes within minutes of the boardwalk.
Habitat guide for Ocean City & Assateague, Maryland · 47 Nature Guide species linked
| Habitat type | Salt marsh & flats |
|---|---|
| Accessibility nearby | ★★★★★ |
| Related zones | Salt marsh & flats, Coastal bays, Inlet & channel |
| Seasons (this coast) | year-round, spring, summer, fall, migration |
| Best for | Egrets, rails, fiddler crabs, terrapins, and marsh plant communities. |
| Species tags | Salt marsh |
| Access | Overlooks, boardwalks, and kayak put-ins; soft mud off-trail. |
| Parking | West OC, Route 611 corridor, Assateague bayside lots. |
| Fees | Free overlooks; park / launch fees vary. |
| Region | Behind Ocean City barrier island — Coastal Bays |
| Dominant plant | Saltmarsh cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) |
| Signature wildlife | Egrets, clapper rails, fiddler crabs, terrapins |
| Tide tip | High slack for kayaks; low tide for fiddler armies |
| Hazards | Mosquitoes, soft mud, summer heat |
| Pair with | Coastal bays, tidal flats, kayak places |
Salt marsh is the green engine of Maryland’s Coastal Bays—cordgrass plains that nursery crabs and fish while filtering runoff before it reaches Isle of Wight and Sinepuxent bays.
From Ocean City you can scan marsh edges by car or paddle guts by kayak. Bring bug protection in warm months. Pair this habitat with Coastal Bays and Tidal Flats pages for a complete back-bay picture.
Migration lights up marsh birds; summer is rich but buggy.
Nature Guide profiles tagged for this habitat around Ocean City and Assateague, Maryland. Likelihood stars reflect how often visitors can reasonably expect the species—not a guarantee for any single outing.
| Group | Species linked | Share of checklist |
|---|---|---|
| Birds | 10 | |
| Mammals | 8 | |
| Reptiles & amphibians | 5 | |
| Crustaceans | 6 | |
| Mollusks | 2 | |
| Other marine invertebrates | 2 | |
| Insects & arachnids | 9 | |
| Coastal plants | 5 | |
| Total | 47 | |
Full directory: Birds around Ocean City
| Species | Likelihood | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major | ★★★★★ | year-round |
| Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias | ★★★★★ | year-round |
| Great Egret Ardea alba | ★★★★★ | spring, summer, fall |
| Osprey Pandion haliaetus | ★★★★★ | spring, summer, fall, breeding |
| Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus | ★★★★★ | spring, summer, breeding |
| Willet Tringa semipalmata | ★★★★★ | spring, summer, breeding, fall |
| Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius | ★★★★ ☆ | winter, fall, spring |
| Snowy Egret Egretta thula | ★★★★ ☆ | spring, summer, fall |
| Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus | ★★★ ☆☆ | year-round, winter |
| Clapper Rail Rallus crepitans | ★★★ ☆☆ | year-round, summer |
Full directory: Mammals around Ocean City
| Species | Likelihood | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Assateague Horse Equus caballus | ★★★★★ | year-round |
| Raccoon Procyon lotor | ★★★★ ☆ | year-round |
| Sika Deer Cervus nippon | ★★★★ ☆ | year-round |
| White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus | ★★★★ ☆ | year-round |
| Little Brown Bat Myotis lucifugus | ★★★ ☆☆ | spring, summer, fall |
| Meadow Vole Microtus pennsylvanicus | ★★★ ☆☆ | year-round |
| Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus | ★★★ ☆☆ | year-round |
| North American River Otter Lontra canadensis | ★★ ☆☆☆ | year-round |
Full directory: Reptiles & amphibians around Ocean City
| Species | Likelihood | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Diamondback Terrapin Malaclemys terrapin terrapin | ★★★★ ☆ | spring, summer, fall |
| Eastern Ratsnake Pantherophis alleghaniensis | ★★★ ☆☆ | spring, summer, fall |
| Green Treefrog Hyla cinerea | ★★★ ☆☆ | spring, summer |
| Northern Watersnake Nerodia sipedon | ★★★ ☆☆ | spring, summer, fall |
| Southern Leopard Frog Lithobates sphenocephalus | ★★★ ☆☆ | spring, summer, fall |
Full directory: Crustaceans around Ocean City
| Species | Likelihood | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Marsh Fiddler Crab Minuca pugnax | ★★★★★ | spring, summer, fall |
| Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus | ★★★★★ | spring, summer, fall |
| Atlantic Horseshoe Crab Limulus polyphemus | ★★★★ ☆ | spring, summer, migration |
| Brown Shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus | ★★★ ☆☆ | spring, summer, fall |
| White Shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus | ★★★ ☆☆ | summer, fall |
| Mantis Shrimp Squilla empusa | ★★ ☆☆☆ | spring, summer, fall |
Full directory: Mollusks around Ocean City
| Species | Likelihood | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern Oyster Crassostrea virginica | ★★★★★ | year-round |
| Soft-shell Clam Mya arenaria | ★★★★ ☆ | year-round |
Full directory: Other marine invertebrates around Ocean City
| Species | Likelihood | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Sea Nettle Chrysaora chesapeakei | ★★★★★ | summer, fall |
| Clam Worm Alitta succinea | ★★★★ ☆ | year-round |
Full directory: Insects & arachnids around Ocean City
| Species | Likelihood | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Common Green Darner Anax junius | ★★★★★ | spring, summer, fall, migration |
| Eastern Saltmarsh Mosquito Aedes sollicitans | ★★★★★ | spring, summer, fall |
| Monarch Danaus plexippus | ★★★★★ | spring, summer, fall, migration |
| Black and Yellow Garden Spider Argiope aurantia | ★★★★ ☆ | summer, fall |
| Blacklegged Tick Ixodes scapularis | ★★★★ ☆ | spring, summer, fall |
| Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus | ★★★★ ☆ | spring, summer, fall |
| Greenhead Fly Tabanus nigrovittatus | ★★★★ ☆ | summer |
| Painted Lady Vanessa cardui | ★★★★ ☆ | spring, summer, fall, migration |
| Carolina Wolf Spider Hogna carolinensis | ★★★ ☆☆ | spring, summer, fall |
Full directory: Coastal plants around Ocean City
| Species | Likelihood | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth Cordgrass Sporobolus alterniflorus | ★★★★★ | year-round |
| Eelgrass Zostera marina | ★★★★ ☆ | spring, summer, fall |
| Glasswort Salicornia | ★★★★ ☆ | spring, summer, fall |
| Marsh Elder Iva frutescens | ★★★★ ☆ | year-round |
| Southern Wax Myrtle Morella cerifera | ★★★★ ☆ | year-round |
Common questions for visitors exploring this habitat near Ocean City, Maryland.
Wildlife you may see nearby (copyright-free photos from Wikimedia Commons via our Nature Guide). The main page photo above stays separate.
Or drop several images onto this gallery
