Daniels Run Park

This is a 48-acre rectangular forested park with a 1-mile long trail running through it. The trail is wide and relatively flat, parallels Daniels Run on its north side, and has upland tulip, beech, and oak woodland on its south side. The trail begins at the end of Tedrich Boulevard and ends at the Army-Navy golf course where a bridge crosses Daniels Run. A small foot trail goes uphill beside and behind the golf course, giving a view of a pond that is part of an industrial petroleum tank farm. This pond is the source of many of the ducks and geese reported for Daniels Run Park. When starting at Tedrich, the main trail is uphill at the start, but a lower foot trail nearer Daniels Run is mostly level and soon connects to the main trail. There are 5 bridges over Daniels Run leading from neighborhoods to the north. These short spurs give views of the creek and the riparian area around it. The first is at Tedrich and the last is at the golf course end of the park. The others are obvious and marked by trail signs.

The bird population in the park is typical for an upland forested area. In summer the most common nesting species (other than permanent residents) include Acadian Flycatchers and Red-eyed Vireos followed, in lesser abundance, by Eastern Wood Pewees, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and Wood Thrushes. Louisiana Waterthrushes, Ovenbirds, Northern Parulas, and Common Yellowthroats have been detected singing in June and so are probable, but unconfirmed, nesters. Among permanent residents, most woodland species nest here, including 5 species of woodpeckers, Barred Owl, and typically 2 pairs of Red-shouldered Hawks. During migration, the park can be good for warblers; eBird lists 26 species of warblers sighted here, with the more unusual ones for this park being Worm-eating, Kentucky, Hooded, and Wilson’s. In winter the permanent residents are joined by Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, both kinglets, Hermit Thrushes, and Winter Wrens with White-throated Sparrows and juncos on the edges.

Both ends of the Daniels Run Park trail connect to walking trails that continue outside of the park for various distances. At the Tedrich end, a walking trail continues for about 1.5 miles until reaching Main Street in the center of town. This trail follows Daniels Run through a variety of habitats, including backyards, school grounds, wood lots, and an overgrown, tangled area as you approach the final bridge to a shopping center and Main Street. At the golf course end of the park, a trail of 0.2 miles continues along the creek passing a “backyard habitat” house and an area of riffles in the stream, both of which attract birds.

Accessibility: Parking is available on the streets that dead end at the park boundary. From Main Street (Rt. 236), use Tedrich Boulevard or Estel Road. From Old Lee Highway, use Embassy Lane, Parklane Road, or Queen Anne Drive. Tedrich is the most commonly used, followed by Estel. The trails are open dawn to dusk.

Owner/Manager:  The City of Fairfax

ebird Hotspot: Daniels Run Park

—Paul and Joan Woodward

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Ashby Pond Conservancy Site

Ashby Pond Conservancy Site is a 4-acre park consisting of a natural pond with a 0.3-mile walking trail around it. It was purchased in 2004 as open space area. Because the park is so small, waterfowl and herons frequently can be watched without binoculars. The pond has water circulators in the north end that prevent a total freeze over in winter and low oxygen conditions in summer. The park is tiny, birds come and go, so some days birding is excellent but less so on other days.

Hooded Mergansers are the highlight of winter, varying from a few to as many as 30 by spring migration. They dive for minnows, court and display with their loud, frog-like croaks, and sometimes interact with Mallards and American Black Ducks that may be around.

During both spring and fall migration, the early sun hitting trees by the outflow channel (the wooden bridge to the right when approaching the pond) offers good conditions for warblers and a variety of other passerines. Thrushes, flycatchers, Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers and waterthrushes are more likely to be found by walking around the pond. Uncommon birds for Ashby Pond that have been seen only once or twice include Bufflehead, Great Egret, Double-crested Cormorant, Mississippi Kite, and Olive-sided Flycatcher.

Between summer 2013 and summer 2019, about 23 species of birds have been confirmed as breeding at or near Ashby. All years have had a Canada Goose nest and a Mallard nest, and some years a Wood Duck brood. Green Herons nest nearby and bring their downy young to the pond as did kingfishers in a recent year. Five species of woodpeckers nest here—Red-bellied, Downy, Hairy, and flicker. A Pileated Woodpecker nests nearby and brings young into the pond area. Most years Northern Rough-winged Swallows nest here, and Eastern Phoebes and Eastern Wood-Pewees are also regular nesters. The most abundant nesting birds are Carolina Wrens, House Wrens (in the yards that back up to the pond), Gray Catbirds, and Northern Cardinals.  One Red-winged Blackbird pair nests here each year.

Black-crowned Night Herons are a frequent summer visitor, though numbers vary from year to year, while Yellow–crowned Night Herons are rare visitors. Great Blue Herons and Green Herons are summer regulars. After trout are stocked for a kids’ “Fishing Derby” in early April, an Osprey becomes a regular for a time.

Accessibility: Ashby Pond is in a suburban neighborhood and can be reached by car by taking Estel Road from Main Street and turning left on Ashby Road; the pond is on your left. There are two parking areas provided and you can also park along the road.  There is a 0.7 mile handicapped-accessible paved path to the pond edge and a number of benches for sitting and enjoying.

Owner/Manager: The City of Fairfax

eBird Hotspot: Ashby Pond Conservancy Site

—Paul and Joan Woodward

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