Fauquier County

Boasting beautiful rolling landscape found at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Fauquier County claims some of Virginia’s finest piedmont. As Virginia’s eighth largest county at 647 sq. mi. of total land area, Fauquier offers as many different activities as it does birding habitats. Amazingly, over a quarter of Fauquier's land area has been put into conservation easement. Located geographically just west of Washington, D.C.’s Northern Virginia sprawl, Fauquier is dominated by farmland and natural areas. Fauquier’s equestrian history is rich and world-known. The county is the heart of Virginia’s hunt country, and even raised a Kentucky Derby champion. Fauquier also sits at the center of Virginia’s wine country with at least 25 vineyards and wineries, along with six breweries. There is ample Civil War history, chronicled along several self-driven tours. Warrenton is the county seat, with a charming Old Town area. Main Street—lined with brick sidewalks—bustles with shoppers, diners, and business alike. 

Fauquier’s roots trace back to the early 17th century, and was listed in 1608 as part of the Northern Neck of the Colony of Virginia by Captain John Smith. It was established in 1759 from Prince William County. Named for Francis Fauquier, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, legend claims that he won the land in a poker game. Oh, and the locals pronounce it, "faw-KEER." 

Fauquier offers seemingly endless miles of piedmont birding in a largely rural-agricultural setting, with several publicly-accessible parks and wildlife management areas. C. F. Phelps W.M.A. in the southern portion of the county offers thousands of acres of forest and meadows along the Rappahannock River. "Phelps" is an excellent destination for spring birding, as well has hosting expected piedmont breeders, and a couple of regionally scarce nesters, such as Hooded Merganser, Prothonotary and Yellow-throated Warblers. G. Richard Thompson W.M.A. in the northwestern edge of the county reaches an elevation of over 2000 ft., and is the summer home of a healthy population of Cerulean Warblers (among eleven other nesting warbler species), as well as Ruffed Grouse. Sky Meadows State Park offers the region's most robust (and most visited) Red-headed Woodpecker population, as well as some of the best sparrowing in the state. Lake Brittle, C. M. Crockett Park, Airle, and several farm ponds scattered around the county have attracted an impressive 34 species of waterfowl, dominated by massive flocks of Canada Geese that local birders tirelessly sort through looking for regional (or state-level) rarities. A collection of sod farms near Remington claim the best shorebirding areas in the county, and have attracted many unexpected species over the years. This area may have been the site of the last breeding pair of Upland Sandpipers in Virginia. Northern Virginia birders often trek out to Fauquier hoping to see regular species that are difficult to find in the dense suburban areas to the east. Sparrows are a particular draw, with Vesper, Lincoln's, White-crowned, Savannah, Grasshopper, and American Tree likely to be found in the appropriate habitat at the right time of year. Other local favorites include Yellow-breasted Chat, American Kestrel, Blue Grosbeak, Bobolink, American Pipit, Horned Lark, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Barn and Short-eared Owls.

The 289 species documented in the county include many notable records. State-level rarities include Boreal Chickadee (a bird banded, providing the state's only banding record), Tufted Duck, White-tailed Kite, Townsend's Solitaire, Say's Phoebe (twice), Northern Shrike, California Gull, Swallow-tailed Kite, Painted Bunting, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Henslow’s Sparrow, and a long-staying Green-tailed Towhee that was enjoyed by hundreds of observers in late 2020 and into 2021. Regional rarities consist of Brant, Ross's and Greater White-fronted Geese, Surf and White-winged Scoters, Long-tailed Duck, Red-throated Loon, Leach's Storm-Petrel, Rough-legged Hawk, Common Gallinule, Upland, Stilt, and Baird's Sandpiper, Whimbrel, Red-necked and Wilson's Phalaropes, Common Tern, Black Skimmer, Chuck-will's-widow, Loggerhead Shrike (a former low-density breeder, that might still be nesting in the county), Sedge Wren, Bicknell's Thrush, Lapland Longspur, Snow Bunting, Golden-winged Warbler, Clay-colored, Le Conte’s, and Lark Sparrows, Dickcissel, Brewer's Blackbird, Red Crossbill, Common Redpoll, and Evening Grosbeak. 

—Todd Michael Day 

Hotspots

Stakeout Hotspots

The following hotspots should only be used to input historical records pertaining to a specific staked-out rarity, as indicated in the hotspots names.

• stakeout Swallow-tailed Kite, Marriott Ranch (2002)

Accessibility AND surroundings

Fauquier County is serviced by several major roads. Interstate 66 runs east/west in the northern half of the county, and is the primary route to Metropolitan Washington, D.C. The primary north/south corridor is US 29. Other US Routes include 15, 17 and 211. US 15 is concurrent with US 29 for its length in Fauquier. US 17 runs from the northwest to the south, and is concurrent with US 29 for eight miles in the center of the county. US 211 runs from Warrenton to the west. 

Fauquier is bordered by Clarke, Warren, and Loudoun Counties to the north, Prince William and Stafford to the east, Culpeper to the south, and Rappahannock to the west. 

Amenities

As a county with ca. 69,000 people, as well as major highways that traverse the county, it is well served by hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and convenience stores. While Warrenton is the county's largest town, there are other smaller towns and villages that offer different experiences. Marshall is Fauquier's up-and-coming town, home to a nationally-acclaimed bakery, and other dining options. Bealeton is another small, commercial area with several locally-owned restaurants amid a few fast food chains. Remington is a small town with a deli that is popular among locals. The Plains is a town with three restaurants and a couple of boutiques. Upperville has an inviting restaurant in the style of an English pub. The Town of Middleburg borders Fauquier, just over the Loudoun County line, and is a well-known destination steeped in equestrian culture with many dining and shopping options.

Lodging within the county ranges from locally-owned hotels, resort spas, economy motels, several bed and breakfasts, and four national chain hotels of varying quality. Nearly all of the hotels are in or near Warrenton. Similarly, restaurants cover the spectrum from locally-owned award-winning restaurants, lively pubs, national chain restaurants, a 24-hour diner, roadside barbecue stands, several popular ice cream stands, local bakeries, and the gamut of restaurant and fast food chains. 

Christmas Bird Counts

Two CBCs have territory within Fauquier County. The primary count for the county is The Plains/Airlie CBC, which was started in 1998, and is centered a few miles west of Warrenton. It is sponsored by The Clifton Institute, and is compiled by staff there. They can be reached by email at azak@cliftoninstitute.com.  

The Nokesville CBC also covers a portion of Fauquier County, specifically the Catlett area. The compiler is Kim Hosen, and she can be reached at kim@pwconserve.org

Recommendations

This writer's top picks include Claire's at the Depot for fine dining. Molly's Irish Pub for pub fare and quality libations for both dinner and lunch. Faang for Thai cuisine (all in Warrenton), and Hunter's Head in Upperville for English fare. Field and Main in Marshall is marvelous restaurant, and has several outdoor cabanas for dining, as is Front Porch in The Plains. Red Truck Bakery has two locations: Warrenton and Marshall. Some of the best ice cream found in Virginia is made on premises and served at Moo Thru near Remington. There are two breweries in the town of Warrenton, Altered Suds Beer Company, and Wart Hog Brewing Company.