Brays Point Road terminates in this primitive boat landing on a thin spit of land providing access at the juncture of Vaughans Creek with the NW Branch of the Severn River. The immediate area is somewhat developed, with a few larger homes at the end of Brays Point Road as well as a mobile home park to the northwest of the boat launch. As a result, while the boat landing is a very birdy location, most of the species are typical suburban dwellers including cardinals, grackles, robins, mockingbirds, starlings, House Finches, and more. In the breeding season, this assortment is augmented by common woodland or edge species such as Great Crested Flycatcher and Eastern Kingbird, while swallows and martins course over the water hunting insects. There is fairly little marsh habitat adjacent to the boat ramp, so apart from Common Yellowthroats, this is not a particularly good location to seek out wetland birds. There are more extensive marshes opposite the river from the boat ramp, and while this isn’t particularly helpful for rails, marsh sparrows, and the like, it is suitable for waders. Particularly in the mornings and evenings, this may be a good spot to watch for herons and egrets traveling to and from their foraging grounds. The water here also attracts gulls, Ospreys, and Bald Eagles. Thus far, there has been essentially no winter birding effort here, but this hotspot seems a likely location to host waterfowl, loons, and grebes during the colder months.
Accessibility: The boat ramp is publicly accessible, but it is extremely primitive and offers no launching facilities or paved access. At the very tip, the unpaved road can be a bit muddy and sandy, so if you are concerned about your car’s ability to handle on those surfaces it may be best to stop just short of the end.
Owner/Manager: Virginia Marine Resources Commission
eBird Hotspot: Brays Point Ramp
—Matt Anthony
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