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AUDUBON GLOBAL BIG DAY MAY 13, BELLE ISLE STATE
PARK AND DAMERON MARSH
The Northern Neck Audubon Society will again support the Global Big Day. This
event has become the single largest one-day birdwatching event in the world.
Last year’s Global Big Day compiled more than 60% of the world’s bird species
in a single day, with sightings coming in from 154 countries. The goal is to
identify all the birds seen on this day.
On Saturday, May 13, the NNAS will conduct two bird walks supporting the Global
Big Day. The first walk will be held at Belle Isle State
Park (1632 Belle Isle Road, Lancaster) from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. Leslie
Fellows will lead the walk. Meet at the equestrian parking lot.
To reach the park
(1632 Belle Isle Road, Lancaster) from Kilmarnock, take Rt. 3 west to Lively
and turn left on White Chapel Road/Rt 201. Go to the end of Rt 201 and turn
right onto River Road/Rt. 354. Go 3.1 miles and turn left onto Belle Isle
Road/Rt. 683. After the park entrance, continue through the 4-way
intersection to the equestrian parking lot on the right.
From Warsaw, take Rt. 3 east and travel
approximately 14.5 miles. Turn right onto River Road/Rt.354. Go about 3 miles
and turn right onto Rt. Belle Isle Road/Rt. 683. After the park entrance,
continue through the 4-way intersection to the equestrian parking lot on the
right. The second walk will be held from 1:30 pm to
3:30 pm at Dameron Marsh Natural Area Preserve. Jeff Wright will lead the walk
From Kilmarnock, go north on VA 200 approximately 5 miles and turn right
(east) onto Shiloh School Road/Rt. 606. At the end of Shiloh School Road, turn
left onto Balls Neck Road/Rt.605. Turn right on onto Cloverdale Road/Rt 606.
Go 0.4 miles and turn left onto Guarding Point Lane/Rt 693. Follow 693 into
the preserve.
Among the possible sightings are The Great Crested Flycatcher, various Warblers
that have arrived on the Northern Neck, Blue Grosbeaks, Blue-grey Gnatcatchers,
Orchard Orioles, Tree Swallows, Eastern Kingbirds, Greater and Lesser
Yellowlegs, Brown Pelicans, Bald Eagles, and a variety of terns, hawks, and
grebes. Belle Isle State Park offers excellent views of the birds along the
Rappahannock River. Dameron Marsh on the Chesapeake Bay offers sightings of
shorebirds and birds residing in the preserve's marshes.
For additional information about NNAS, visit
www.northernneckaudubon.org<http://www.northernneckaudubon.org>. There will be
several pairs of loaner binoculars available.