Wildlife Hotspots in Virginia Beach
As one of Virginia’s southernmost and coastal cities, Virginia Beach offers visitors a variety of unique habitats to explore containing a stunning amount of biodiversity. Nature reserves throughout the city are made up of marshlands, shores, dunes, woodlands, beaches, and fields which are home to a high number of bird, mammal, amphibian, and insect species. Some of Virginia Beach’s best spots for bird watching, nature photography, and general wildlife recreation include Stumpy Lake Natural Area, Pleasure House Point, and Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
Stumpy Lake Natural Area
Located in the south-central region of the city, Stumpy Lake is one of the most rewarding and beginner-friendly locations to check out with over a thousand acres of forests, fields, and marshland to explore. Visitors enter through a paved pathway surrounded by the cypress-lined lake, providing an easy route to navigate by foot, bike, or car. Kayaks can be rented on-site and can be launched via the ADA-accessible boat ramp. Notable species include the great blue heron, bald eagle, hooded merganser, black-and-white warbler, blue-gray gnatcatcher, double-crested cormorant, hooded merganser, and northern shoveler.
Pleasure House Point
Pleasure House Point Natural Area contains one hundred and eighteen acres of undeveloped land directly on the Lynnhaven River and is a popular spot for hikers and wildlife enthusiasts. The sandy trails are generally quite walkable but rising tides may close off certain routes to those not willing to wade through or jump across the shallow waters. The shores and marshland make for an excellent habitat for herons, egrets, kingfishers, yellow-rumped warblers, ospreys, buffleheads, and lucky July visitors may get to see adorable clapper rail chicks or baby diamondback terrapins sea turtles.
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
With over nine-thousand acres of marshland, beaches, dunes, woodlands, and fields, Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge is one of the greatest wildlife-viewing hotspots in Virginia with over four hundred recorded animal species. Visitors can see a variety of willets and plovers, boat-tailed grackles, herons, egrets, and even the occasional roseate spoonbill in the summertime; and in the winter, Back Bay is also home to hundreds of tundra swans. River otters, raccoons, white-tailed deer, cottonmouth snakes, and snapping turtles can also be frequently seen throughout the refuge. Back Bay is also connected to False Cape State Park, which offers visitors the opportunity to camp on the beach overnight and guided tram tours provide a more accessible option to explore the expansive location with ease.
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