Frying Pan Farm Park is a Fairfax County park that is mainly geared toward recreation, featuring a model farm and equestrian facilities, and hosting seasonal concerts and festivals. But it also boasts open fields, wetlands, mixed woods, a stream, and a nature trail winding through all these different habitats. The nature trail passes through mixed woods in the north and northwest sections of the park, and meanders by a stream (Frying Pan Branch of Horsepen Run); it is good for woodland birds. The wetland and ponds at the northeast corner (adjacent to Monroe Street) are good for herons, waterfowl and marsh birds. In the southeast and central parts of the park, the farmland and open fields are good for raptors, as well as sparrows and other seed-loving birds. A recommended route is to start from the Visitor Center parking lot, go northeast through open fields to the wetland, then follow the gravelly road west/northwest, turn right at the nature trail into the woods, and finally come out the end of the nature trail on the backside of the farm.
While many birds can be seen throughout the year, the best times are the migration season and winter. That said, summer is also a good time to see a variety of breeding birds. Year-round residents which breed in the park include Red-shouldered Hawks and Barred Owls, as well as Eastern Bluebirds utilizing the many nesting boxes maintained by the Virginia Bluebird Society. During the spring it is possible to see migrating warblers of up to two dozen species, as well as vireos, thrushes, flycatchers, Rose-breasted and Blue Grosbeaks, Indigo Bunting, Scarlet Tanager, and Yellow-billed and (more rarely) Black-billed Cuckoos. Less frequently, migrants including American Pipit, Dickcissel, and some shorebirds drop in, while herons and egrets can be found at the wetland. Of particular note, flocks of Bobolinks often linger around the open field at the southeast corner in early May for up to a week or more. Summer is not to be neglected, and is a good time to see fledging Tree and Barn Swallows, Eastern Phoebes, Eastern Bluebirds, House Wrens, Barred Owls, Red-shouldered Hawks, and more. Fall brings more migrating birds, as well as arriving winter visitors such as Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets. Winter is a good time to see raptors including Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks, Cooper's Hawks (which prey on feral pigeons and House Sparrows around the barn), Merlin, Peregrine Falcon (likely nesting ones from nearby Reston), and roosting Barred Owls. In spring or summer, the occasional fly-over of Osprey augments the raptor list. Winter is also a good time to see woodpeckers of 6 species (except the Red-headed). Occasional or rare visitors have included Long-tailed Duck, Bufflehead, Purple Finch and Sedge Wren.
Accessibility: The park is open daily from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., but closed New Year's Eve, New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are three parking lots: the main one (gravelly) is through the entrance on West Ox Road near the intersection with Centreville Road and is huge to accommodate horse trailers as well as passenger vehicles; a paved one is further east on West Ox Road at the visitor center and pavilion. There is also a small lot at the meeting house off Centreville Road. Although not official park policy, nearby neighbors frequently walk and bike in the park during after hours but enter at your own risk!
Owner/Manager: Fairfax County Park Authority
eBird Hotspot: Frying Pan Farm Park
—Howard Wu, August 2020
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