Mathews County is mostly known for its coastal birding at places like Bethel Beach and New Point Comfort; fewer birders spend time seeking out woodland species. For those so inclined, however, Fort Nonsense Historical Park is perhaps the premier location in the county to easily find warblers, vireos, thrushes, and other woodland denizens. The park, which opened in 2014 and is jointly maintained by the county and the Mathews County Historical Society, preserves the remnants of earthworks constructed during the Civil War to defend Mathews County from Union advances. According to the historical society, local legend holds that the name originated from the fact that attacks by forces based in Union-occupied Gloucester County came from the west, meaning that the fort was facing the wrong direction and leading a citizen to describe it as “a piece of nonsense.” A short series of trails traverses the park, dotted with historical signage placed by Civil War Trails. Though the park occupies a fairly small parcel of land, it is covered in deciduous woods with intact understory that boast a surprising variety of birds. In spring and fall this is perhaps the best place in the county to look for migrant passerines, and even uncommon species such as Bay-breasted Warbler have been recorded here. During the breeding season, the woods host species including Red-eyed and Yellow-throated Vireos, Wood Thrush, Scarlet and Summer Tanagers, Ovenbird, and Hooded Warbler, among others. During the winter, expect to find the winter woodland suite, including Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Hermit Thrush, both kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Brown Creeper. Though not technically part of the park, directly opposite from it across Windsor Road is a sizable marsh that is possible to walk across and view. Wood Ducks are sometimes here, and there are several prominent dead snags that (with a lot of luck) could attract a migrating Olive-sided Flycatcher.
Accessibility: Fort Nonsense is a publicly accessible park that has a gravel parking area with room for several cars. It is located right at the intersection of John Clayton Memorial Highway (VA 14) and Windsor Road (VA 3), almost immediately after crossing into Mathews from Gloucester. There is a well-maintained dirt path that forms a loop around the inside of the fort, as well as portable restroom facilities near the entrance and a small pavilion. Unfortunately, the road noise can be quite loud at this spot, so birding is better if you avoid coming at peak traffic times.
Owner/Manager: Jointly managed by Mathews County, Virginia Department of Transportation, and Mathews County Historical Society
eBird Hotspot: Fort Nonsense Historical Park
—Matt Anthony
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