These agricultural fields at the corner of Arlington Road and Custis Tomb Drive have a reputation as one of the best shorebirding spots in lower Northampton County. Often planted with potatoes, these fields can be very attractive to shorebirds post-harvest, when they are open, muddy, and prone to flooding. After a period of rain, there are sometimes huge pools of standing water that form in low-lying depressions here. Some of the best birding happens in a month-and-a-half window from late July through early September, when migrating shorebirds are a near-constant presence here. Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers, Killdeer, Ruddy Turnstones, and Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers are the most commonly encountered species, with numbers of some reaching the dozens or hundreds. Careful scanning of peep flocks will almost always turn up a few Westerns and Pectorals, while other species such as Sanderling, and White-rumped and Stilt Sandpiper are possible. Both species of yellowlegs are often around, particularly when there is standing water. This area also seems especially attractive to “grasspipers,” with Baird’s, Buff-breasted, and Upland showing up occasionally in fall. American Golden Plovers are fairly regular, and can usually be spotted among the Black-bellieds. There is a record of Sharp-tailed Sandpiper from September 2003. Apart from shorebirds, waders occasionally drop in, particularly Glossy Ibis, and it is worth scanning ibis flocks for White-faced. Sometimes the fields will attract mixed feeding flocks of gulls, especially Laughing, and this is a good spot to watch for Franklin’s Gull. Gull-billed Terns also seem to like foraging over agricultural fields in late summer, so check for them here at the end of August.
Though primarily a fall shorebird spot, these fields are good at other times of year as well. Migrating shorebirds will drop in during the spring months as well, and rainy or foggy weather conditions can produce fallout events. During winter, if the fields are not planted in winter wheat, foraging shorebird flocks of mainly Dunlin and Black-bellied Plovers, but occasionally including other species such as Ruddy Turnstone, Long-billed or Short-billed Dowitcher, or Red Knot, will drop in. Vesper Sparrows also winter fairly regularly in lower Northampton, and these fields are one of the better spots – winter counts of Vesper here sometimes reach the double digits! Flocks of American Pipits and Horned Locks are also sometimes about in winter, and are worth checking for Lapland Longspur or Snow Bunting (if they are close enough to view). Though by no means reliable for them, these fields could also attract Dickcissels during the breeding season.
Accessibility: These fields are private, and birders should not enter the fields without permission from the landowners. The best way to view is from Custis Tomb Drive. Often the shorebirds will be quite close to the road and can be viewed with binoculars from the car. Some of the puddles that form are practically right at the road edge! However, it is always worth getting out and scanning with a scope for birds further out in the fields. Custis Tomb Drive is a low-traffic road, and it is easy to safely pull to the side. Viewing from Arlington Road is tougher, as the volume of traffic is a bit higher here. It is possible to scan from the car, but pulling off here is difficult. Wheat Lane is a private drive, but using the wide entrance as a pull-off is doable provided you don’t block the lane.
eBird Hotspot: North Arlington Road Fields
—Matt Anthony, March 2021