Anacostia
Naval Air Station and Bolling Field
Where is it?
The facility is located
at South Capitol Street and Firth Sterling Avenue.
When to go
During migration; possibly
in winter.
Where to go
Large areas of lawn
are attractive to migrating shorebirds, and Short-eared Owls were found
here in the past. Loss of habitat has made the area less attractive but
some shorebirds can still be seen. Check the large lawn areas any ditches
or flooded areas. There may be open water or ponds.
What to see
Lawn areas: American
Golden-plover, possibly Buff-breasted Sandpiper.
Ditches: Snipe,
Sora, Savannah Sparrows.
Open water areas:
Bitterns, rails, and shorebirds.
Flooded areas:
gulls, terns and shorebirds. Rarities found in the past include American
Avocet, Hudsonian Godwit, Baird's Sandpiper, Red-necked Phalarope, and Sooty
Tern.
1998-2000 Recent
and Notable Sightings: None
listed.
How to get there
By car: Take
the Southwest Freeway across the South Capitol Street Bridge or travel east
on Independence Avenue S.W. until you reach the U.S. Capitol Building and
pick up South Capitol Street there. Once over the bridge, take the first
exit on the right and look for gate entrances. On the DC 295, Exit 3A is
for the Naval Station, Exit 2 for Bolling Air Force Base. There is a guard
booth at all entrances. Identify yourself to the guard and state your purpose
for entering the base. You may or may not be permitted entry. It
may help if you have federal or military ID. If you are permitted on the
base, obey all signs and stay out of posted areas. You are cautioned that
this is a very busy business area during weekdays, especially at rush hours,
and parking is extremely limited. You will be ticketed if you park in a
designated area. There are a very few visitor's lots, but they fill up quickly.
By Metro: The
closest station is the Anacostia Station on the Green Line. Directions from
the Station will be posted when confirmed, but you may need to take a taxi.
Accessibility and Comfort
You can view the lawns
from your car or from typical sidewalks. Additional information will be
added at a later date.
Keys
None.
Other
Areas To Explore
Anacostia River Park --
Anacostia river park just north of the Naval Air Base does not have the same
access problems, but also has large fields that can be checked for shorebirds.
An Upland Sandpiper was found here in May 1998. The mudflats on the Anacostia
should be checked for shorebirds, gulls and terns. Franklin's Gull appeared
here in June 1999 and Least Tern in July of the same year.
Oxon Hill Children's Farm
(a small portion of which is in DC) -- Wild Turkey has been reported from
this location.
Fort Stanton Park -- current
status under review.
Fort Davis Park -- current
status under review.
National Capitol Park
-- current status under review.
Fort Dupont Park -- a
variety of land migrants can be found.
Blue Plains Sewage Treatment
Plant -- access is difficult, but if you are lucky in the past this was a
good place to look for shorebirds, rails, gallinules and bitterns in summer,
and cormorants, gulls, terns, and skimmers in late summer and fall. Grebes
and ducks were found in the river in winter and during
migration, the bushes along the banks were productive. We
have been told, however, that no one has been here in years, and some of the
habitat may have been destroyed. Although reported in the past, chances for
bitterns or skimmers are considered pretty remote.
1998-2000
Recent And Notable Sightings Not Reported Elsewhere
Common Snipe in a wet
field (4/10/98), Oldsquaw, Ruddy Duck and Bufflehead in the river across from
the Naval Yard (11/25/99), Upland, Least and Spotted Sandpipers in a field
on the east side of the river just north of the South Capitol Street Bridge
(5/2/98), late Double-crested Cormorants (12/7/99), large flock of Laughing
Gulls, unusual for winter (12/7/99).
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