Lake Laura

As is the case with all but two lakes in Virginia, Lake Laura is man-made and created by a dam. It is a narrow, but relatively deep lake.  As one of the larger bodies of water in Shenandoah County, it is a good location to look for waterfowl during migration. It has interesting past records, such as Red-necked Grebe and Long-tailed Duck. Because it sits at about 1350 feet of elevation, the lake will usually freeze by the middle of the winter, making mid-winter visits less productive. The edges of the lake can also be productive for migrants in the spring and fall.

Accessibility: The best public access for Lake Laura is from the parking area at the end of Arnold Road by the dam at the north end of the Lake.  There is also a boat ramp at the south end of the lake at the end of Happy Valley Road, but this is considerably less convenient if you are coming from the east on Orkney Grade Road, as most Virginia residents do.  A well-maintained public dirt hiking trail circles the entire lake. Please note that the fees mentioned on the website below apply only to the small beach and the use of the trail is always free.

Owner/Manager: Bryce Resort

eBird Hotspot: Lake Laura

—James Fox

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Strasburg River Walk

The Strasburg Riverwalk follows a nice riparian buffer along the North Fork of the Shenandoah River at the edge of the town of Strasburg.  The habitat is mostly either brushy open areas or wooded edges, ideal for migrant passerines. In addition to the main trail that goes from the town park to the high school, there are several other loop trails that pass closer to the river. These trails are often the best for migrants.  In addition to the wide variety of passerine migrants seen here, the woods along the river are crawling with Warbling Vireos and Baltimore Orioles in the spring.

Accessibility: The riverwalk can be accessed from either end.  The main entrance is from the Strasburg Town Park at the east end where there is a large parking area and boat ramp.  The riverwalk can also be accessed from Strasburg High School outside of school hours by parking in the southeast lot and walking south past the gate to the west entrance.

Owner/Manager: Town of Strasburg

eBird Hotspot: Strasburg River Walk

—James Fox

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Seven Bends State Park

One of Virginia’s newest state parks, Seven Bends State Park has already amassed a bird list of over 100 species.  Much of the land for this park is from the old Camp Lupton, which was owned by the Massanutten Military Academy. The Camp Lupton area around the north entrance to the park is the favored area for birding at the park so far.  An already existing gravel road takes you east from the parking area along the edge of some hay fields with some nice shrubby growth on the other side of the road. The hay fields have hosted open country birds such as Eastern Meadowlark, American Tree, Savannah, and Vesper Sparrows while the brush on the south side of the road is often excellent for migrants.  Lincoln’s Sparrow, Mourning and Wilson’s Warblers have all be spotted along this stretch of road. Another trail running along the river has just been completed in this area as well. This gives birders a better opportunity to see Wood Duck, Red-headed Woodpecker, Louisiana Waterthrush, and occasionally Yellow-throated Warbler and Osprey along the river. Another trail splits off the gravel road and goes uphill to the south, eventually connecting to the southern portion of the park.  This offers a better opportunity to find more woodland birds. Even with fairly limited visits from birders so far this park has produced a good variety of species, so one expects many more interesting finds will turn up as the park continues to be developed and visitors increase.

Accessibility: Currently there are very limited amenities at this park as DCR is still in the process of developing the park, foot traffic is welcome from both the north at the end of Lupton Road and from the end of S. Hollingsworth road at the south end of the park. The north entrance now has a gravel parking area, a canoe launch, and pit toilets. As of January 2020, all trails are either dirt or gravel.

Owner/Manager: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

eBird Hotspot: Seven Bends State Park

—James Fox

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