Near the southern end of Cemetery Road (VA 658) there is a large agricultural plot on the west side of the road. Over the years this land has been leased to several different farmers, who have used the fields to grow various crops. In recent years, the fields have almost exclusively been planted with sod, which has been a benefit for birders. The current operator of this tract of land is Remington Turf Farm (not affiliated with the area’s more well-known Woodward Turf Farms).
Primarily a shorebirding spot, the quality of birding here ranges from excellent to poor. The topography of the field has a subtle undulation, which allows rainwater to pool in various places. During either fall or spring migration, these pools and puddles attract shorebirds, depending on the crop planted. It is when the fields are growing sod that it is best for birders.
There are two primary spots for birding these fields. The first is by parking along the east side of Cemetery Road, about one-quarter of a mile north of the intersection with Freemans Ford Road (VA 651). The shoulder is wide enough here to get a car safely off the road (though passenger-side birders might want to watch their step getting out of the car). This road is little traveled, but enough that birders need to be vigilant for vehicles when standing along the side of it watching birds. Birds are sometimes close to the road, so it is worth scanning from the car before opening doors and accidentally flushing them. From this vantage point observers are blocked by a rise in the field. In general, the birds are on the near side of the rise, but that isn’t always the case.
The second spot to scan the fields is from the southwest corner of the Remington Cemetery, which is just a couple hundred yards north of the first spot. There is a small structure in this part of the cemetery, and that is probably the best spot to park as it is the most unobtrusive portion of the area. One can walk a few yards toward the corner of the cemetery from here, which gets the observer closer to the birds and into a portion of the cemetery without graves.
This is a small, four-acre cemetery. Please be respectful of the land’s primary purpose, and use an abundance of common sense. If there are memorial services being performed, it is probably best to not intrude and just scan the mud from the road. Do not park on the cemetery lawn, do not leave a vehicle blocking the narrow roads, and absolutely do not turn a vehicle around by driving over a grave.
During times when other crops are planted here, the birding can be poor. Both corn and soy beans aren’t typically harvested until late enough in the year that most of autumn shorebird migration has passed. Depending on how wet spring is, there may or may not be opportunities to find shorebirds here before either of those crops are planted (or have grown to a height to obstruct viewing). Winter birding is still largely an unknown for this location, but depending on the condition of the field, it is likely that Horned Larks and American Pipits will be found here at times, and if there are puddles, it should attract Wilson’s Snipe and Killdeer. Whether Snow Buntings or Lapland Longspurs make an appearance is anyone’s guess.
For the uninitiated to birding sod farms, there are various steps in the sod-growing process, and each stage of growth offers something for birds. The finished product is of course sod. When the fields are covered with grass, the grass is mowed regularly and kept short (usually about two inches). While sod is essentially a monoculture, the height of the grass allows so-inclined species to more easily forage and see insects that are walking on the ground. It is also good for birders, as the birds are typically quite easy to see. As with nearly any shorebirding, rain helps. There are often pools or puddles collecting on the sod (sometimes visible from a distance). If so, the birds are typically concentrating there. When completely dry, sod seems much less favorable to shorebirds.
The next step in sod farming is harvesting. Sod is harvested by large, mechanical equipment that peels a layer of sod and dirt from the earth, and rolls it. These rolls are what are sold commercially and retail, and are probably familiar to most everyone. What is left behind the peeled sod is smooth, flat dirt. This is attractive to most shorebirds, especially when wet (and the puddles are much more obvious in this state). Conditions like this may favor the chances of finding Buff-breasted Sandpipers, though it is also productive for just about any shorebird. There is often quite a bit of equipment on the fields during this process, including vehicles and pallets of sod.
Typically the next step is for the fields to be turned. A disc harrow is dragged behind a tractor, and the result is long rows of troughs and mounds of clumpy soil. It is when sod farms are in this state that they are the best for shorebirds, especially after rain. The natural topography of the terrain will still result in puddles, but if the rain is heavy enough, many of the troughs will also hold water. It can make spotting the birds more tricky, as they have evolved plumages that allow them to disappear in a bumpy, muddy field. But they sure do like it. Even after the rain has evaporated or absorbed, the dirt remains pliable and still offers good foraging for shorebirds.
The final step is planting new sod, and this is about as similarly productive as grown sod, though far less aesthetically pleasing. Sod farmers struggle to keep their harvested rolls of sod from crumbling and collapsing. As a result, they have employed an unfortunate step in the process. The entire planted field will be covered in a grass-colored plastic mesh. This mesh acts to hold the sod together when harvesting and during transport. It stays in the sod long after it is planted, unless it is removed by the consumer. For birding purposes, it also might discourage some birds from feeding, as they are probably more apt to catch their toes and feet on this mesh. Having birded dozens of hours at sod farms with this mesh present, I have never seen an ensnared bird, though it wouldn’t be surprising if it did happen occasionally.
eBird Hotspot: Cemetery Road Fields
—Todd M. Day, August 2020