This somewhat disjunct portion of Kiptopeke State Park is located on the park’s eastern edge, and can be accessed without going through the main entrance. The trailhead is located adjacent to Arlington Road; coming from the south on US 13, turn left on Arlington and this will be the first part of the park you come to. Here, birders have access to a portion of the Raptor Trail which starts at Arlington Road and proceeds straight south toward Taylor Pond. There is also a gravel service road, unmarked on the ground but labeled “Texas Avenue” on Google Maps, which parallels the trail and also leads to the pond. Both the trail and the road are birdable, but the trail is more enclosed by vegetation and provides fewer open edges and a more limited view to spot birds.
On the east, the service road backs up to a large open field separated by a narrow line of woods only about two or three trees wide. On the west side, there is a narrow strip of scrubbier vegetation composed of baccharis, hackberry, cherry, and other shrubs which separates the road and the trail. On the west side of the trail, this gives way to denser woods of mostly loblolly pines. Proceeding further south towards Taylor Pond, there is a kink in the road after which the vegetation mostly gives way to more intact woods on both sides, with more hardwoods to the east and pines to the west. Some of the most productive birding occurs on the first two-thirds of the road, where the combination of edge vegetation backing up to larger woods can be a recipe for excellent avian activity. Particularly in fall, but to a lesser extent in spring, this can be an excellent place to spot migrants including flycatchers, vireos, and an impressive suite of warblers. Early in the morning, the migrants may be moving restlessly and difficult to get on; sometimes, birds along the north edge fronting Arlington Road are flying north in a reverse movement similar to what occurs at Sunset Beach. However, the vegetation along the service road is also great for holding foraging flocks of migrants that are easier to view as the morning wears on. There are enough dense tangles to make this an attractive spot for Connecticut Warbler, a species which has been reported here at least once. In September 2020, this trail also hosted the state’s second Black-whiskered Vireo. Apart from passerines, keep an overhead in the fall for migrating raptors that concentrate at the southern tip of the Delmarva. While this area does not provide as good raptor-viewing as the wide-open area around the hawkwatch platform, there is enough open sky to see at least some of the birds moving through. Later in the fall and into winter, the thick tangles, fruiting shrubs, and pinewoods are a good recipe for lingering or overwintering passerines. Late warblers, vireos, gnatcatchers, and others could be found here, and this would not be a bad spot to hope for a rarity!
It is worth noting that the full Raptor Trail extends for 1.5 miles, doubling back to the west and eventually terminating at the main parking area near the hawk platform. This hotspot, however, is general used for the .5-mile stretch that leads from Arlington Road to Taylor Pond. For a complete trail map, click here.
Accessibility: There is a grass parking area right at the trailhead off Arlington Road. Keep in mind that, although this area can be accessed without passing the main park entrance, parking fees are still required (a fact which is clearly posted on signage here). Also remember that while walking the service road is permissible, driving on it is restricted to authorized vehicles. Both the trail and the road are unpaved, but they are well-maintained. It is roughly a half-mile walk to get to Taylor Pond. From here, the trails connect with the rest of the Kiptopeke State Park trail system. Before you reach the pond, there is also a trail to the right that will lead to the lodges.
Owner/Manager: Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation
eBird Hotspot: Kiptopeke SP--Raptor Trail
—Matt Anthony, September 2020