Montgomery Hall Park

Montgomery Hall Park's 148 acres include rolling hills, quiet woodlands, sports fields, playgrounds, picnic shelters, trails, and a public swimming pool. The Department of Parks & Recreation has its offices there. The park consists of open fields and woodlands of various types of vegetation, with a network of trails named after YuLee Larner, co-founder of the Augusta Bird Club. A wide variety of birds can be seen here any time of year. Many woodpeckers, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Great Crested Flycatcher, and even Yellow-billed Cuckoo are often present. During migration, occasional large clusters of warblers and vireos show up.

Accessibility: Parking and restrooms are present. Hours: 6am - 11pm.

Owner/Manager: City of Staunton

eBird Hotspot: Montgomery Hall Park

—Vic Laubach

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Gypsy Hill Park

Lake Tams is a large pond in the middle of Gypsy Hill Park, where people can fish. Canada Goose, Mallard, and various swallows are usually present, in the appropriate season. On the northeast side of the park there is also a small duck pond usually full of Mallards, various mixed domestic geese, Mute Swans, etc. In the nearby wooded areas of the park, especially near the golf course, interesting songbirds can sometimes be found. Take West Beverly St. to Thornrose Ave. Follow and turn into Gypsy Hill Park at stone archway and follow to Lake Tams.

eBird Hotspot: Gypsy Hill Park

—Andrew Clem

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Frontier Culture Museum

Several acres of open, brushy land outside of the entrance gates to the Frontier Culture Museum are host to various songbirds throughout the year. A number of bluebird boxes yields varying numbers of the intended species. In the new water retention pond next to the Bluebird Trail sign one sometimes finds a few Mallards. A quarter mile south is a pond surrounded by cattails where Canada Geese are known to nest. Red-winged Blackbird, Yellow Warbler, Tree Swallow, and various sparrows are among the birds found near that pond.

eBird Hotspot: Frontier Culture Museum

Owner/Manager: Frontier Culture Museum

—Andrew Clem

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Betsy Bell Park

Betsy Bell Park offers a magnificent view of the Shenandoah Valley from its observation platform (elev. 1,959 ft), which looks due east toward Waynesboro and the Blue Ridge Mountains. This is the bigger of the two hills you see when entering Staunton from the east or south. The prevalence of birds here is quite variable; woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, and titmice are common throughout the year. During the spring and fall, there are occasional big fallouts of warblers and other neotropical migrants.

eBird Hotspot; Betsy Bell Park

—Vic Laubach

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Bells Lane Ponds

At the top of the hill on Bells Lane there are 3 or 4 ponds down the hill to the south in the middle of fields. These ponds are known for being magnets for waterfowl, especially in the winter. A spotting scope is highly recommended. The larger, main pond is easily visible. Watch for Snow, Ross’s, Cackling, and Greater White-fronted Geese, as well as Wood Duck, Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall, Tundra Swan and many other waterfowl. In the spring/summer watch for swallows, swifts, shorebirds (e.g. Wilson’s Snipe, Spotted Sandpiper, Yellowlegs, etc.), gulls and terns, herons, and egrets. At any time of year always be on the lookout for raptors.

eBird Hotspot: Bells Lane Ponds

—Vic Laubach

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Bells Lane

Bells Lane is 1.7 miles long and winds through scenic, rolling rural pasturelands, mixed forest, and wetlands that lie on the northeast side of Staunton city limits. This is probably the most popular location in Staunton among birders. It is also a very popular place for local folks to go walking, running, or bicycling. The northeast stretch contains a lush wetland vale on either side of the road (sometimes containing waterfowl, Swamp Sparrow, or herons), while the central stretch is more elevated, offering spectacular views of the Shenandoah Valley. Noted for raptors, Orioles, Tree Swallows, Eastern Bluebirds, Yellow Warblers, Willow Flycatchers, and Grasshopper Sparrows in the summer, as well as Northern Harriers, Short-eared Owls, Canada Geese, American Coot, and various waterfowl in the winter. Drive slowly because of walkers and runners on the road. Finally, the southwest stretch passes along a stream and swampy areas flanked by thickets where various songbirds can be seen, with quite a variety during migration season.

Accessibility: Space for parking is available on either end if you wish to walk. You can also pull off the road onto the grassy shoulder in some locations if need be.

eBird Hotspot: Bells Lane

—Vic Laubach and Andrew Clem

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