Field Trip to the Eastern Shore
Our club’s annual field trip to the Eastern Shore will be in September this year, one month earlier than we’ve traveled there in previous years. This field trip frequently results in the highest species count of all our field trips due to the time of year and the wide diversity of habitat. In 2025, the group identified 70 species.
On Saturday, September 19, we’ll meet at the Visitor’s Center of the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge (ESVNWR) at 8:00 a.m. Deborah Humphries will lead us around the Visitor’s Center as well as the trail behind it, then move to three other stops: Ramp Road, also within ESVNWR; the Hawk Watch at Kiptopeke State Park; and the Edward Brinkley Nature Preserve. We are planning to leave Ramp Road no later than 10:15 a.m. so that we have plenty of time at the Hawk Watch.
We also want to work in lunch at Cape Charles Brewing Company after a morning of birding. If we leave Kiptopeke a little late, some may decide to go to the Edward Brinkley Preserve after lunch. In any event, bring a snack or two and plenty of water! If you are interested in carpooling, or you are willing to drive others, please let me know. The carpool meeting spot is the Colony Square Shopping Center on Jamestown Road. Carpoolers should plan to depart by 6:30 a.m. I expect we’ll return to Williamsburg around 4 p.m. If you have a state park pass, please bring it. Admission for cars without an annual pass is $7.
Again this year, Baxter Beamer is monitoring the morning flight at Sunset Beach. Members are invited to view the morning flight. You’ll need to arrive at the site between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m. I understand another group will be observing the morning flight that day, so Mr. Beamer may be busy.
Here are Google Maps addresses for the sites we’ll visit:
• Visitor’s Center, ESVNWR—32205 Seaside Road, Cape Charles, VA 23310
• Kiptopeke State Park—3540 Kiptopeke Drive, Cape Charles, VA 23310
• Edward S. Brinkley Nature Preserve—20199 Seaside Road, Cape Charles, VA 23310
• Cape Charles Brewing Company—2198 Stone Road, Cape Charles, VA 23310
• Sunset Beach Morning Flight—End of Wise Point Lane (across Rt. 13 from Seaside Road entrance to ESVNWR).