City of Manassas
Northern Mockingbird, © Rob Bielawksi
Located about an hour to the southwest of Washington DC (if you’re lucky enough to make the trek when there is not much traffic!), the City of Manassas is a bustling, densely-settled city that is at once within the DC orbit and somewhat removed from the worst of the sprawl and congestion. At just 10 sq. miles in area, yet with a population topping 40,000, Manassas is one of the more densely populated cities in Virginia. It is entirely subsumed within Prince William County, for which it also serves as the county seat, and it shares a border with the similarly-engulfed City of Manassas Park. Growing from a nondescript railroad crossing known as Manassas Junction, the town was formally incorporated in 1873, replaced Brentsville as the Prince William County seat in 1894, and ultimately became an independent city in 1975.
Ironically, the events which have defined Manassas the most happened before it was even a proper town. Historians or Civil War buffs will doubtless recognize the city for its two namesake battles – fought in 1861 and 1862, respectively – which occurred just north of the current City limits in Prince William County. Though a fairly minor engagement, the First Battle of Manassas (July 21, 1861) has immense symbolic significance as the first major land battle of the Civil War. Coming just months after shots were fired at Fort Sumter, the battle was marked by poor leadership and tactics, ending in a Confederate victory. For Union military and political leaders, who had expected a quick and decisive rout, this battle hinted at the lengthy war to come and forced them to confront the reality that the Confederate rebellion would not be quickly put down. It was here that General Thomas Jackson earned the enduring nickname “Stonewall.” Manassas Junction again became the site of a significant engagement on August 29-30, 1862, when the Second Battle of Manassas marked the culmination of Robert E. Lee’s Northern Virginia Campaign. Once again, the Union Army was defeated and Lee’s success led him to push forward with the Maryland Campaign, ultimately resulting in the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest single day of combat in American history.
Though Manassas is most remembered for its Civil War history, which is commemorated in some of the museums in the City, it has remained a successful city in the 20th and 21st centuries. Its proximity to DC makes it a viable place for commuters to live, and the City remains a transportation hub. Hearkening back to its origins as a rail crossing, Manassas maintains bustling commuter and regular rail service, with both Virginia Railway Express and Amtrak trains serving the historic Manassas station. The Manassas Regional Airport is also located within the City limits, and although it is mostly known to birders for hosting a Snowy Owl, it has the distinction of being the busiest general aviation airport in Virginia. Classic rock fans may also recognize the City’s name, owing to the fact that Stephen Stills (of Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash fame) and ex-Byrd Chris Hillman borrowed it as the name of the band they formed together, which released two albums in the early 1970s.
While it is fairly developed and populous, Manassas is not without its charms for birders. What’s more, with only 169 species reported to eBird as of August 2020, the City has not been as thoroughly saturated with birder coverage as some Northern Virginia areas, so there is still room for new discoveries! The most popular hostspot is the Nokesville Interchange Ponds, a complex of two ponds situated at the intersection of VA 28 and VA 234. These ponds are most easily viewed from the Cannon Branch Cemetery, as well as Gateway Drive, so there is the convenience of multiple vantage points. The ponds are most attractive to check for waterfowl during the winter months; nineteen species have been reported. Pied-billed Grebes and Ring-billed Gulls are also common in winter, with Herring Gulls occasionally putting in an appearance. The brushy vegetation along the edges of the ponds can also be good for passerines, particularly sparrows, and the roster includes such goodies as Grasshopper, White-crowned, Vesper, and Lincoln’s. Apart from the Nokesville ponds, the other popular birding destination is the Manassas Airport. Field and open country birds are the specialty here, with a seasonally-varying species list that includes American Kestrel, Northern Harrier, Eastern Meadowlark, and Vesper and Savannah Sparrows. Once upon a time, this was a good location for Short-eared Owls, though recent reports have been few and far between.
Apart from these two banner hotspots, the Cannon Branch Fort and Liberia Plantation House both provide historic sites surrounded by small wooded tracts with walking trails. Though the habitat is too fragmented for much in the way of interior woods species, these can be good places to search for migrants or the winter woodland suite. Behind the Central Park Aquatic Center, there is a large drainage pond that is often maintained at fairly low water levels. The resulting mudflats have attracted Killdeer and Wilson’s Snipe in the past, and may be good for other shorebirds when the conditions are right. There is still more exploring to do in Manassas, and it may be that other good birding spots are ready and waiting to be found!
—Matt Anthony, August 2020