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Birding in this area can
be a real challenge, if only to determine which local jurisdiction claims
your sighting. District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia boundaries are
very close at some points. Some basic rules apply. The Potomac River south
to the Wilson Bridge up to the high tide line is within DC jurisdiction. Water
below the bridge is in Maryland, with the exception of certain defined bays.
In addition, all of Columbia Island is within the Nation's Capital. Even seasoned
birders will stop and think carefully before ticking off a species in any
jurisdiction in questionable waters. In doubt, ask....and we'll find out for
you.
In any event, there are
times when areas on the other side of the Potomac -- the Virginia side --
offer better viewing possibilities. As an added bonus, many of these sites
offer spectacular views of the Washington skyline.
Roosevelt
Island
Where is it?
The 88-acre island is
in the Potomac River, generally across from the Kennedy Center in Washington
and Rosslyn in Virginia. A footbridge connects it to the Virginia shore.
The Island is open during daylight hours and there is no entrance fee.
When to go
Primary time to visit
is during migration, although there are interesting breeding species and
gulls can be seen throughout the year. During winter after subfreezing temperatures
the water around the island will likely be frozen.
Where to go
A trail circles the
Island. Begin by taking the paths south from the memorial. At the south
end of the Island the path turns east on a footbridge, which crosses a marsh.
Then follow the path north, past the marsh and into a wooded swamp. In both
the marsh and the swamp you may find smaller paths leading off the main
trail to shore points where you can obtain a different view. Back on the
main path, continue north, returning to the memorial. The path is about
1.5 miles.
Then, from the parking
lot follow the bike path (Mount Vernon Trail) south until you can see the
tidal mud flats at the south end of the Island.
What to see
South path: Warblers
and thrushes during migration.
Marsh: Swamp
Sparrow, Marsh Wren, Common Snipe, both Yellowlegs, other shorebirds in
season. Red-winged Blackbirds, Green Heron and Black-crowned Night-Heron
can be seen. Bitterns, rails and Sora are rare, but have been seen. Great
and Snowy Egret, and Little Blue Heron can be seen in late summer.
Swamp: Wood Duck
and maybe Prothonotary Warbler; Rusty Blackbirds in fall. Potomac River/Kennedy
Center Roof/Mud Flats: Gulls, terns, Osprey, Bald Eagle, ducks. Bonaparte's
Gulls can be seen in April; Caspian and Forster's Terns in Summer.
Throughout: Owls,
usually Barred, although Great Horned, Barn and Eastern Screech have been
seen.
1998-2000 Recent
and Notable Sightings: Red-breasted Merganser (5/3/98), Mourning Warbler
and 16 other warblers (5/14-16/99), Gray-cheeked Thrush, Veery, Swainson's
Thrush (5/16/99), Warbling Vireo (5/16/99), Scarlet Tanager, Baltimore Oriole,
Orchard Oriole (Second Week of May 1999), White-throated Sparrow (9/26/99).
How to get there
By car: You can
reach the island by car from the northbound lane of the Virginia side of
the George Washington Memorial Parkway, where it is located between the
Memorial and Key Bridges. Follow the signs to the island's parking lot.
Note, however, that when you leave, you must proceed onto the northbound
lanes of the Parkway once again. To go southbound drive about one-mile to
the Spout Run exit on your left. About half a mile down Spout Run you can
make a U-turn and return to the parkway entrance, where you can now proceed
southbound.
By Metro: Go
to the Rosslyn Station on the Blue or Orange Lines, exit left on North Moore
Street and walk to the end of the street (about 1.5 blocks). Turn right
and after one block cross to the far side of North Lynn Street. Turn left,
cross the I-66 entrance and exit roads, then turn right into a maintenance
yard. From here you should see the sign for the Island. The bridge from
Rosslyn brings you to the far end of the parking lot. You can also walk
to the Key Bridge and take the Mount Vernon Trail south until you reach
the entrance to the Island. The walk via the Key Bridge takes about 20 minutes.
Accessibility and Comfort
Parking is accessible.
Restrooms and drinking water are available on-site, but the restrooms are
not accessible. Note also, that the restrooms are often closed during the
winter months. Gravel and dirt trails with occasional steep grades limit
accessibility. Food is available in Rosslyn, Virginia.
Keys
Kennedy Center, Georgetown,
Rosslyn (VA), Arlington National Cemetery.
LBJ Memorial
Grove
Where is it?
The LBJ Grove is located
on Columbia Island (otherwise known as Lady Bird Johnson Park), just south
of the Memorial Bridge on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. It is
across the Boundary Channel from the Pentagon. The entire island is within
DC jurisdiction. The Grove itself is named after our 36th President.
When to go
During winter to search
for waterfowl on the Potomac River and winter landbirds. Might also be productive
during migration for pine-loving species.
Where to go
From the parking lot,
take the wooden foot bridge over to the grove and explore the Virginia Pines
thoroughly. This limited habitat can be very productive at times. Also check
out the canal area and the Columbia Island Marina.
What to see
Look for Orange-crowned
Warblers, and other pine-lovers in the Virginia Pine trees. Search flocks
of Golden-crowned Kinglets carefully for Pine Warblers. Carolina Chickadees,
Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers, Hermit Thrushes, and White-throated, Chipping
and Field Sparrows have been seen here. Winter and Carolina Wrens have been
seen near the base of pine trees near ornamental underbrush. Keep your
eyes open for raptors.
In the canal and marina
areas you may find Black-crowned Night-Heron, Rough-winged Swallows, Great
Blue Heron, Wood Duck, and, Great Black-backed, Herring, and Ring-billed
Gulls. Tundra Swan and Bald Eagles were spotted overhead.
1998-2000 Recent
and Notable Sightings: Orange-crowned Warbler (12/26/98-3/12/99), Pine
Warbler (12/26/98-2/27/99), Red-breasted Nuthatch (12/26/98), Winter Wren
(12/27-28/98), Northern Goshawk (1/6/99).
How to get there
By car: Take
the Memorial Bridge to the Virginia shore and drive south on the George
Washington Memorial Parkway toward National Airport and Alexandria. This
site is accessible from both the north- and south- bound lanes of the parkway.
Watch for the exit to the LBJ Grove parking area on your left.
By Metro: The
best Metro stop is Arlington Cemetery on the Blue Line. Then follow the
bike path along the Potomac south till you find the Navy and Marine Memorial,
the sculpture of the gulls. From here you can very, very carefully Then
cross the GW Parkway.
Accessibility and Comfort
There are restrooms
here, as well as a snack bar.
Keys
Arlington Cemetery,
National Airport.
The
Mouth of Four Mile Run/Washington Sailing Marina/Daingerfield Island
Where is it?
Four mile run is a creek
that flows into the Potomac River. It is located immediately south of National
Airport on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The flats and the bay
are within the District.
When to go
Best time to visit is
during winter and and during shorebird migration. Visit within an hour of
low tide and bring your scope. Morning viewings are best at the airport
location; afternoon sightings are best from the Washington Sailing Marina
on Daingerfield Island. The area is closed midnight to 6 am.
Where to go
You may be able to scan
the area in the morning from the north edge of the bay from within National
(Reagan) Airport, but you can also access the area from the Washington Sailing
Marina. In any event, if you visit in the afternoon proceed to the Washington
Sailing Marina. Park your car and walk to the shoreline. From here you can
scan the flats to the north. There is also a bicycle path that runs north
to the stream and the boathouse. This overlooks the best area for shorebirds.
You may be able to climb down the bank for a better view. Follow the bike
path north to the mouth of Four Mile Run, birding the shore as you go.
What to see
Search the flats to
the south for gulls and terns. The flats to the west, near the boathouse,
are best for shorebirds in season. The river may host diving ducks and teal
in winter.
Unusual species seen
here are Parasitic Jaeger, Piping Plover, Willet, Sanderling, Baird's Sandpiper,
White-rumped Sandpiper. In the winter, look for white-winged gulls. Egrets
and Little Blue Heron are possible in late summer.
1998-2000 Recent
and Notable Sightings: Lesser Yellowlegs (9/11 & 18/98), Dunlin
(9/11 & 18/98), American Golden-Plover (9/13/98), Black-bellied Plover
(9/13 & 18/98), Pectoral Sandpiper (9/13/98), Greater Yellowlegs (9/18/98),
Sanderling (9/18/98), Stilt Sandpiper (9/18/98), Common Moorhen (10/11 &
24/98), Ruddy Duck, Canvasback, Lesser Scaup in large numbers (11/25/99),
Tufted Duck (2/00).
How to get there
By car: Take
the Memorial Bridge to the Virginia shore and drive south on the George
Washington Memorial Parkway toward National Airport and Alexandria. You
can also reach the parkway from the 14th Street Bridge. Pass the bridge
over Four Mile Run and after .75 mile turn left into the Daingerfield Sailing
Marina.
By Metro: The
best Metro stop is National Airport on the Blue or Yellow Lines. Then walk
south through the airport complex until you come to the GW Parkway and the
bike path. Follow this south to Daingerfield Island.
Accessibility and Comfort
There is a restaurant
with a rest room and snack bar on the premises. There is also a separate
restroom. The snack bar and the restroom may be closed out of season. There
may be a Porta-potty on the grounds when the restroom is closed. To follow
some portions of the shoreline you must walk on the grass behind the restaurant,
however, the bike bath is accessible.
Keys
Arlington National Cemetery,
Alexandria, Mount Vernon.
Gravelly
Point
Where is it?
Gravelly Point is just
north of National Airport on the George Washington Memorial Parkway at Roaches
Run. On the other side of the parkway is the Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary.
Please note that although the waters of the Potomac River are in the District
of Columbia, the Sanctuary is in Virginia.
When to go
Visit during winter
for waterfowl and during migration for shorebirds. The area is closed from
10 PM to 6 am.
Where to go
Park your car and scope
the River and Roaches Run (not the sanctuary unless you are looking for
VA birds).
What to see
1998-2000 Recent
and Notable Sightings: Pacific Loon (6/10/98), Common Loon (12/12/98).
How to get there
By car: Take
the Memorial Bridge to the Virginia shore and drive south on the George
Washington Memorial Parkway toward National Airport and Alexandria. You
can also reach the parkway from the 14th Street Bridge. The Gravelly Point
parking lot is accessible only from the northbound lanes of the parkway.
Southbound travel must turn around at Daingerfield Island on the other side
of the airport. (Note: Entrance to the sanctuary -- if you would like to
visit -- is from southbound lanes only. You can turn around at I-395
South.)
By Metro: The
best Metro stop is National Airport on the Blue or Yellow Lines, then walk
north through the airport complex until you come to the GW Parkway and the
bike path. Follow the path to Roaches Run and Gravelly Point.
Accessibility and Comfort
There are no restrooms
or eating facilities at this location. You can find both at LBJ Grove just
north of Gravelly Point.
Keys
Arlington National Cemetery,
National Airport.
Alexandria
Waterfront
Where is it?
Alexandria is an incorporated
City in Virginia located south of the city via the George Washington Memorial
Parkway, which becomes North and South
Washington Street as it transverses the city.
This area of the Virginia
viewing corridor has been all the more attractive to birds since the 1980s
when the improving ecology of the Potomac River led to the development of
large hydrilla flats in the river between the Blue Plains Sewage Treatment
Plant and the Wilson Bridge. These floating batches of aquatic vegetation
attract water birds from August to November, if not a bit later. The mats
apparently increase or decrease according to rainfall and water clarity.
The mats are best seen from locations in Alexandria and support some of
the best habitat for terns, shorebirds, ducks, gulls, cormorants and Ospreys
in the District of Columbia.
When to go
As with other Virginia
corridor viewing areas, this site is best during winter and shorebird migration.
Afternoon light is best and be sure to bring your scope. At Jones Point
morning light is best, and as with the rest of this area, bring your scope.
Where to go
There are three major
areas to check. Each provides a different vantage point: the bluff at 3rd
and Fairfax Streets, a cove at Madison Street, Oronoco Street, and Jones
Point.
The bluff is three block
east of Washington Street and just south of the VEPCO plant. Find an access
point on North Fairfax Street between 3rd Street and Canal Center Plaza.
Walk to the bluff, which is above the Potomac, and check the river. Walk
the bicycle path from the Canal Street Plaza area to the VEPCO plant, searching
the river all the way. Birds tend to congregate near the plant's outlet.
Be sure to look across to the DC shore. When you return to Canal Center,
walk a couple of blocks down to the waterfront along Madison Street, which
is also worth scanning.
The wooden deck at Oronoco
Street near Founder's Park is a favorite viewing site for many birders in
the area. From here you have a good view of the hydrilla mat. Visit at low
tide for shorebirds in season. High-powered scopes and optimal viewing conditions
are necessary for accurately identifying peeps.
The next stops are in
the vicinity of the Wilson Bridge. Here the DC/MD lines run diagonally from
Jones Point to a spot in Prince George's County, Maryland. The Virginia
border into Alexandria City and Fairfax County are also close at hand. You
will need to consult a boundary map to accurately
determine the locale of your sightings.
At Jones Point you can
check the hydrilla mats and check under or on the Woodrow Wilson Memorial
Bridge for raptors. From Jones Point the mats are viewed to the west.
What to see
The Bluff/Madison Street:
Watch the river for ducks. You may find cormorants and terns on the pilings.
Ospreys may nest on any large platform in the area. In the area along the
bike path, check for ducks in the winter, gulls and terns the rest of the
year.
Oronoco Street: A wide
variety of shorebirds have been reported from this area. Yellowlegs, Pectoral
Sandpiper, Dunlin are fairly common. American Golden Plover, Avocet, Hudsonian
Godwit, Wilson's Phalarope, Sanderling, dowitchers and Stilt Sandpiper have
also been seen. The area is attractive to terns as well, and large numbers
of Forster's Terns are reported in late summer and fall. Caspian and Black
Terns may be found. However, you may be very lucky to find a rare Common,
Royal or Gull-billed Tern, or a Black Skimmer. Herons and egrets can be
found here, and an occasional Tri-colored Heron may appear. A frigatebird
species and a Parasitic Jaeger have been found, indicating that the site
has the potential to attract some very rare species. In the winter search
for ducks, both diving and dabbling, and Tundra Swans on the remaining mats.
Watch the flats or trees on the DC side for Bald Eagles. During the fall,
Great Cormorants are possible.
Jones Point: Waterfowl
in winter, shorebirds during migration. Peregrine Falcons have been found
by the Bridge. There have been reports of Bald Eagles on the DC shore.
1998-2000 Recent
and Notable Sightings: Black Tern (8/22-23/98), Redhead (1/10/99), American
White Pelican (8/17/99), Black Tern (8/19 and 27/99), Possible Brant (11/1/99--located
near PG Co/DC border), Ruddy Turnstone (Fall 1998), Long-billed Dowitcher
(Fall 1998), Tufted Duck (2/00).
How to get there
By car: Take
the Memorial Bridge to the Virginia shore and drive south on the George
Washington Memorial Parkway toward National Airport and Alexandria.You can
also reach the parkway from the 14th Street Bridge. The main road, is also
known as Route 1 and becomes Washington Street in Old Town, Alexandria City.
King Street marks the border for North and South Washington Street.
For the first stop,
just after the Washington Marina/Daingerfield Island stay your on right
and watch for the exit for Bashford Lane, since you cannot make a left from
the parkway. Bashford Lane will take to Royal street where you will make
a right and then a left onto 3rd Street. At the end of 3rd Street, go right
onto North Fairfax Street. From here to Canal Center Plaza you can park
and find access to the bluff and the bicycle path behind the buildings.
The second stop is a
couple of blocks farther down North Fairfax at Madison Street. If you have
moved your car, park again and proceed to the waterfront.
Continue south down
North Fairfax Street to Oronoco Street and turn left, proceed to the end
of Oronoco.
Return to North Fairfax
Street and continue south. At King Street, the road becomes South Fairfax.
Turn left at Green Street and right on South Lee Street. Another left at
the end of South Lee will bring you into the Jones Point. You can park at
various points under the bridge and may also proceed to lot at the end by
the river. You can also reach Jones Point directly from South Washington
Street, but the left turn must be made from the right side of the road and
you must watch carefully for the turn.
By Metro: The
closest Metro Stations are at Braddock Road and at King Street on the Yellow
Line, but they are at least a dozen blocks away from the waterfront area.
Local buses run crosstown.
Accessibility and Comfort
At the bluff, there
are carry outs in some of the buildings around the Canal Center and hotels
nearby on South or North Fairfax that have restaurants. There is meter parking
and public paid parking. In other areas, food is available throughout Alexandria
on the major streets. The bike path is generally accessible, although there
are some steep inclines. Restrooms are available in hotels and restaurants.
Keys
National Airport, Mount
Vernon.
George
Washington Parkway
Where is it?
The parkway is on the
Virginia side of the Potomac and can be reached via the Memorial, Key, and
14th Street Bridges.
When to go
Winter for ducks; September/October
migration.
Where to go
The parkway has several
overlooks north of the Key Bridge. Stop at these and scan the water and
environs. In this region, the District includes the waters of the Potomac
up to the high tide line on the Virginia shore, so scoping from the overlooks
can give you a good view of DC waters.
What to see
In and around the river:
ducks and gulls.
In the air: migrating
swifts, swallows, nighthawks, accipiters and buteos.
1998-2000 Recent
and Notable Sightings: None reported.
How to get there
By car: Cross
the bridges via 14th Street or Constitution Avenue and follow the signs
for the George Washington Memorial Parkway northbound.
By Metro: To
be determined, but not likely accessible.
Accessibility and Comfort
The overlooks have small
concrete parking areas. No food is available from the parkway; you will
need to return to Rosslyn or DC to obtain food, and where you will also
likely find the nearest rest rooms.
Keys
Rosslyn, Georgetown,
Foggy Bottom, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Memorial.
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