Clarke County
Long-eared Owl, © Rob Bielawski
Clarke County, formed in 1836 from Frederick County, hosts several excellent birding locations that are home to a wide variety of birds, in spite of its small size. The Blue Ridge forms eastern edge of the county, and has some higher elevation habitat that reaches about 2000 feet. Ruffed Grouse, Cerulean Warblers, and other passerines can be found at these locations. Elsewhere, the geography of the County is dominated by the Shenandoah River. Clarke County remains largely rural despite Washington, D.C.'s westward sprawl and Winchester's growing population, with most of the county dominated either by farmland or forest. The county's open habitats can produce species such as Loggerhead Shrike, Bobolink, and Northern Bobwhite.
Clarke's most visited hotspot is the State Arboretum of Virginia, which covers 172 acres at the University of Virginia's Blandy Experimental Farm, and where over 200 species of birds have been recorded. During irruption years of winter finches, this is one of the best locations in the state to look for them. White-winged Crossbills have been recorded multiple times, along with Common Redpolls, Evening Grosbeaks, and Red Crossbills. Blandy is also one of the last locations in the county where Northern Bobwhite can be found with any regularity. The historic Civil War-era Cool Spring Battlefield was recently purchased by Shenandoah University, and has quickly become a popular birding destination. It is a good spot for migrant passerines in spring and fall and has proven to be one of the more reliable spots locally for Olive-sided Flycatcher during migration. It is also home to the most accessible Great Blue Heron rookery in the county, and has frequently had breeding Common Mergansers in recent years. The Snickers Gap Hawkwatch, straddling the border with Loudoun County, is another draw for birders in this region. It is one of the more reliable hawkwatches in the state for finding Golden Eagles in the fall. Shorebirds and waterfowl are most easily found on the farm ponds in the southern part of the county. Depending on the water levels, Lake Arnold at Blandy and the farm pond along Carters Line Road can be good for dabblers or shorebirds. Diving ducks are more difficult to find as there are no large bodies of water. The best bet is checking the Shenandoah River and the pond along Bordens Spring road during cold winters when most other bodies of water have frozen. The many rural back roads throughout the county are well worth exploring. Both Featherbed and Carters Line Roads in the southern part of the county and Shepherds Mill Road in the northern part of the county have hosted Loggerhead Shrikes in recent years. These areas are good places to look for many open country seasonal specialties such as Bobolink and in some years Dickcissel.
In December of 2003, Clarke County hosted the first Virginia record of Black-throated Gray Warbler in almost three decades which was enjoyed by many birders for several weeks. Other notable records include Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill, Swainson’s Warbler, White-winged Crossbill, Swainson's Hawk, and Rufous Hummingbird.
—James Fox
Hotspots
Amenities
The Locke Store in Millwood is a great place to get lunch if you've just spent the morning at the Blandy Experimental Farm, they also offer a variety of other local products. Santorini Grill in Berryville serves excellent Greek food and is another good spot to stop for lunch.
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS
About a third of the Northern Shenandoah CBC circle falls within Clarke County, parts of Frederick, Warren, and a bit of the City of Winchester are also included. This count has been run annually since 1975 and is sponsored by Lord Fairfax Community College and the Northern Shenandoah Audubon Society. The count typically falls on the first Saturday of the count period and often posts one of the highest species totals for the Mountains and Valleys region of the state. If you are interested in participating please contact the compiler, Charles Hagan, naturetrekr@gmail.com.