James City County

Royal Tern, © Rob Bielawski

For many people James City County (or JCC, as locals sometimes call it), is synonymous with the rich history of Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown, which form the three points of America’s Colonial Historic Triangle. While many associate this region with the Colonial period, the area that is now JCC has in fact been occupied by various Native American groups going back thousands of years. European settlement of the area began in 1607, when English colonists landed at Jamestown Island and established a fort there. The county was formally established in 1634, when Virginia was organized into eight shires; at the time, James City County included all of present-day Surry County as well as portions of Charles City and New Kent Counties. For a number of years, Jamestown served as the Colonial capital, until it was moved to Williamsburg following the 1676 destruction of the settlement during Bacon’s Rebellion. This Colonial past, as well as the role the county and its residents plays in the Revolutionary War, has loomed over the area for much of subsequent history, even as James City played an important part in the Civil War, welcomed the forward march of industrialization with railroads in the late 1800s and automobiles in the early 1900s, and contributed greatly to the war efforts in both World Wars. Since 1934, the National Park Service has played a major part in protecting and preserving the Colonial heritage of Jamestown and James City County, and celebrating this history is a major part of the county’s identity. Nonetheless, this co-exists with a highly modern county that is also home to the popular Busch Gardens amusement park, a nationally-known golfing destination at Kingsmill Resort which has hosted the LPGA and several presidents, and a gargantuan brewing facility for Anheuser-Busch.

A happy side effect of the push to preserve Colonial heritage sites is that James City County has ample public lands which often offer excellent birding opportunities, and well over 300 species have been recorded in JCC. Unsurprisingly, some of the best birding occurs in the southern end of the county, where most of the National Park Service sites are. The crown jewel of the county is Jamestown Island, which offers a 5-mile driving loops as well as walking trails covering a variety of habitats that can be good for a wide variety of passerines in all seasons, as well as rails and other marsh birds, waterbirds, and a thriving population of Red-headed Woodpeckers. Any birders visiting Jamestown should take care not to miss stopping on the causeway, particularly at low tide, as a variety of interesting shorebirds, gulls, and terns have been seen here in different seasons. A free ferry ride connects James City to Surry County, and the ferry is also a boon to birders as it almost always attracts large gull flocks in winter that sometimes conceal a rarity. The Colonial Parkway, stretching all the way from Jamestown to Yorktown, is an excellent choice for a leisurely drive through undeveloped areas, and it has frequent pull-offs with excellent vantage points to scan the James River for loons, grebes, and ducks in winter, or terns in spring and summer. Local birders have conducted a hawk watch on the Parkway at College Creek, and while most days are slow, patience and care often turns up locally rare species such as Mississippi Kite, as well as rarities of statewide interest including Swallow-tailed Kite and Swainson’s Hawk.

In addition to sites associated with Jamestown and the Parkway, birding in southern JCC would not be complete without a stop at Mainland Farm, which is privately owned but friendly to birders and easily viewable from a pull-off. The horse pastures usually have Eastern Meadowlarks, Savannah Sparrows, Horned Larks, and occasionally large flocks of migrating Bobolinks. During migration, the pastures sometimes have wet depressions that attract a variety of shorebirds, while in winter the adjacent corn fields usually hold large goose flocks that occasionally yield rarer species. Greensprings Interpretive Trail, a 3.5 mile loop encompassing marshy and woodland habitats, is one of the best places in the county for migrant passerines, as well as waders such as Snowy Egret and Little Blue Heron. In winter, the marshes frequently provide a haven for waterfowl, and Rusty Blackbirds can also be encountered with little difficulty.

Despite the wealth of birding opportunities in southern JCC, birders also should not sleep on the northern reaches, which are far less developed and have more agricultural areas. The most popular birding site here is York River State Park which, despite its name, is in JCC rather than York County. This park offers an excellent view of the York River, and in winter it is a great spot to scope huge rafts of Canvasback, Ruddy Ducks, scaup, and other waterfowl. In spring, it can also be a good spot for woodland birding in search of migrating passerines. Another excellent birding spot is Little Creek Reservoir, a huge body of water with multiple vantage points that is frequented by a wide variety of wintering waterfowl, and which has the potential to attract storm-driven rarities.

The presence of a very active local birding community means that a healthy number of rarities have been detected in JCC, and these include long-staying feeder visitors such as Townsend’s Solitaire, Black-headed Grosbeak, and Western Tanager that were enjoyed by many. In addition to these, JCC also lays claim to the state’s first (and only) Spotted Towhee, as well as the second Limpkin. Hurricane birding has sometimes led to interesting finds, the most spectacular of which was a White-faced Storm-Petrel on the James following Hurricane Fran. Other records of equal note include Common Ground-Dove, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Allen’s Hummingbird, Sabine’s Gull, White-faced Ibis, Wood Stork, and Barnacle Goose.

—Matt Anthony

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.

Accessibility & Surroundings

The only interstate to pass through James City is I-64, which intersects both the northern and southern portions. Running largely parallel to I-64, U.S. 60 also traverses the entire Lower Peninsula and beyond, offering a more leisurely drive. From I-64, VA 199 (essentially the Williamsburg bypass) is the best way to access the City of Williamsburg or the southern portions of JCC where Jamestown Island is located. VA 5 crosses the Chickahominy River into James City from the west, and it traverse the entirety of Charles City County and beyond into Richmond. The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry is the quickest way to cross the James River into Surry County, and it operates 24 hours a day, free of charge.

James City County borders York County and the City of Williamsburg (also its county seat) to the east, New Kent to the North, and Charles City to the west across the Chickahominy. In the southwest, it shares the James River with Surry County, with the ferry connecting the two, while to the northeast the York River is shared with Gloucester and King and Queen Counties. In the extreme southeast, James City also shares both a land boundary and a portion of the James with the City of Newport News.

Amenities

As mentioned above, JCC's most prominent tourist draws are its historical attractions, including Jamestown Island and Colonial Williamsburg (located in the City of Williamsburg.) The Williamsburg Premium Outlets, location just north of town, are also popular for shoppers. And of course, Busch Gardens is a popular draw for those who enjoy amusement parks!

Many of the best local dining options are located in Williamsburg. In JCC, the Old Chickahominy House is another popular spot, offering Southern-style food in a historic home. Those looking for a more upscale experience may consider visiting the Williamsburg Winery and eating at one of the two restaurants there, the Gabriel Archer Tavern or Cafe Provencal.

James City County is currently home to one brewery, Billsburg Brewery, located in the James City County Marina across from the Jamestown visitors' center. This brewery has ample outdoor seating with a great view and the potential for some fine birding while enjoying a brew. They also have a butterfly garden on premises maintained by the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory. Three other breweries, Alewerks, Brass Cannon, and Virginia Beer Company, are located nearby in York County. 

Bird Clubs

The Williamsburg Bird Club has been active in JCC since 1977, when it was co-founded by Ruth Beck and Bill Williams. The club meets on the campus of the College of William & Mary on the third Wednesday of every month, with the exception of June, July, and December, and meetings are free and open to the public. Additionally, the club conducts monthly field trips to various birding spots, many of which are in JCC, and coordinates the annual Christmas Bird Count as well as a Spring Count each May.

The Bird Club of William & Mary is a student organization at the College of William & Mary, founded in 2014 by then-student Nick Newberry. Although membership is only open to W&M students, the club is an excellent resource for student birders, as well as a good way for students to gain knowledge about (and transportation to!) local birding sites.

Christmas Bird Counts

The only active CBC in James City County is the Williamsburg CBC, which is organized and compiled by the Williamsburg Bird Club. This count was first conducted in 1946, but only sporadically until 1977, the same year that the Williamsburg Bird Club was founded, and annually since then. The count circle also includes the City of Williamsburg, much of York County, and parts of Surry and Gloucester Counties.

Sources