Martin National Wildlife Refuge — a national wildlife refuge in Somerset County, Maryland — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Crisfield, about 14.9 km (9.3 mi) away (Martin National Wildlife Refuge lies WNW of town).
Glenn Martin National Wildlife Refuge includes the northern half of Smith Island (in Somerset County, Maryland), which lies 11 miles (18 km) west of Crisfield, Maryland, and Watts Island (in Accomack County, Virginia), which is located between the eastern shore of Virginia and Tangier Island. Both islands are situated in the lower Chesapeake Bay. The refuge was established in 1954 when the late Glenn L. Martin donated 2,569 acres (10.40 km2) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Since then, donation and purchase has increased the size of the refuge to 4,548 acres (18.41 km2). The tidal marsh, coves and creeks, and vegetated ridges of the refuge form an important stopover and wintering area for thousands of migratory waterfowl and nesting habitat for various wildlife species.From the Wikipedia article “Glenn Martin National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Martin National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 59° ENE | 8:31 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 120° ESE | 4:49 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 31m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 33m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Martin National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:01 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:09 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:13 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:13 AM – 4:03 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:24 PM – 3:44 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:18 PM – 2:18 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:17 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:15 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.38 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (61%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 71 | 70 | 76 | 89 | 92 | 96 | 101 | 100 | 94 | 93 | 75 | 72 |
| Low °F | 7 | 4 | 14 | 29 | 38 | 50 | 60 | 60 | 49 | 36 | 24 | 15 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this national wildlife refuge
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Martin National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
Lighthouse
State ParkLighthouse
Lighthouse
BeachFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Martin National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Martin National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Martin National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Martin National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Martin National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Martin National Wildlife Refuge from Crisfield?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.