The ferry across the James provides a quick, easy, and free connector between the populated areas on the Peninsula and birding sites in Surry including Hog Island and Chippokes Plantation SP. In addition to being expedient, it is an excellent addition to a birding itinerary because it adds the opportunity to view birds on the James River. Birding from the ferry is at its best beginning in the fall and continuing through winter, when large flocks of gulls follow behind the boat. Typically, the species composition includes all the usual suspects such as Ring-billed, Herring, and Great Black-backed, and this is also one of the more reliable local spots for Less Black-backed. However, over the years the ferry has attracted a few rarities, including Sabine’s Gull and Black-legged Kittiwake in September, and Iceland Gull in March. Though it can be difficult to pull a single gull among the hundreds that follow the ferry, these rarities are sometimes chaseable. Birding from the ferry in the winter also offers the chance to see large rafts of scaup (usually including both species) on the James, as well as loons, grebes, and other ducks including Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, and Ruddy Duck. Scanning birds on the water may sometimes turn up locally rare species such as Red-necked Grebe or any of the three scoters. Bonaparte’s Gulls are a common sight on the river beginning in the fall and remaining through winter and into spring; during spring, it is worth checking the large Bonie flocks for rarities such as Little Gull, which has been recorded here in April. The spring months also bring returning breeders such as Osprey, Laughing Gulls, Brown Pelicans and Royal Terns, as well as transient species including Caspian Terns and the occasional Black Tern. Summer is less productive here, as the large flocks of gulls dwindle, but it can still turn up some surprises. For birders who keep month lists, scanning the James in summer might yield a lingering loon or duck. June has offered up a few surprises in the past, including a locally rare Black Skimmer loafing with the gulls and terns, as well as a record of Franklin’s Gull. At both ferry terminals, there are any pilings at the dock that are a favored spot for birds at all times of the year. In winter, hundreds of cormorants are often resting here, and diligent scanning may turn up a Great. The gulls also like to roost here, and scanning during the few minutes prior to disembarking offers a shot at less common species. During the summer months, terns also perch here and scanning the birds on the piling may yield a Least or Common, or perhaps something rarer, mixed in with the Royals and Laughing Gulls.
Note: For those birders who keep county lists, the James City/Surry line runs roughly down the middle of the river, meaning that half of the ferry trip is in either county.
Accessibility: The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry is a free transportation service provided by the state of Virginia, which takes passengers and vehicles across the James River between James City and Surry Counties. It runs seven days a week, 365 days a year including all holidays. Ferry schedules vary seasonally, and information on the current schedule can be found at the VDOT website. Passengers are required to stay in their vehicles during boarding and disembarking, but are permitted to exit their cars and roam the deck while the ferry is in motion. The stern of the boat is often the best spot for watching the gulls that gather in the ferry’s wake. There is also an upper deck which boasts a more expansive vantage of the river.
Owner/Manager: Virginia Department of Transportation
eBird Hotspot: Jamestown-Scotland Ferry (Surry Co.)
—Matt Anthony, August 2020