Hanover County

Fox Sparrow, © Tucker Beamer

Hanover County was created in 1719 from the St. Paul’s Parish district of New Kent County. The new county was named for King George the I, who held the title of Elector of Hanover at the time. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the 2016 population of Hanover County at 104,392, representing slightly less than 1% population growth per year in the years since the 2010 census. The county is divided between suburban neighborhoods on the northern rim of the Greater Richmond Metro area and agricultural areas. The towns of Ashland and Mechanicsville and the north-south I-95 corridor form the major concentrations of population and commercial activity. The county straddles the boundary between the western coastal plain and piedmont ecoregions of Virginia.

Patrick Henry was born in Hanover County. Rural Plains, the Shelton Family Home where Henry married Alice Shelton is open to the public at the Totopotomoy Creek Unit of the Richmond National Battlefield Park, a site of action during Grant’s campaign to capture Richmond in 1864. Scotchtown, Henry’s home from 1771 – 1778, is also open to the public

Hanover is dominated by private land, with many of the residential subdivisions closed to any public access. There are a small handful of county parks. Of these, the best birding is perhaps Poor Farm Park. It supports athletic fields, but also some walking and mountain biking trails through wooded terrain leading down to Stagg Creek. The Ashland Trolley Line park can be productive during migration. This is a linear park consisting of an elevated rail bed that crosses a wet woodland area. History buffs can combine birding with visits to various Colonial- and Civil War-era sites.

For its proximity to the Richmond area, Hanover is relatively under-birded. As of 2018, there were just over 2000 eBird checklists submitted. In two recent years, a single Anhinga has been found in the marsh off of Richfoods Road. If you visit this area, note that it is a busy commercial area with essentially no off-road parking. Many other sightings of potential note have been on private property and have often not been verified.

—Lewis Barnett

Hotspots

Amenities

Kings Dominion in Doswell is one of two major amusement parks in Virginia. Restaurants and lodging on the north side of Richmond are easily accessible. Ashland is home to several local favorite restaurants. The Iron Horse is a full-service restaurant. Ashland Coffee and Tea is a popular sandwich shop with an intimate music venue attached. Center of The Universe Brewing Company’s tasting room is a popular gathering place. There are many restaurant and lodging options along Route 54 between I-95 and Ashland, around Virginia Center Commons Mall, and in Mechanicsville along Route 360.

Christmas Bird Counts

The only CBC with territory in Hanover County is the Walkerton CBC, which has been conducted since 1993. The majority of this count is in King and Queen, and King William Counties, with a small portion in New Kent.

Sources