The West Neck Creek Natural Area is a wooded 217-acre site located in the southern part of Virginia Beach across from the Municipal Center along North Landing Road. The natural area is almost completely forested with older deciduous trees except for the open space maintained around the Buffington House and the gravel road leading to it. The south side of the natural area opens to a swamp fed by West Neck Creek and several drainage channels that run south from Princess Anne Road.
One-hundred and thirty-eight species have been recorded to date. West Neck Creek is a reliable location for most of the common forest-dwellers seen in other places in Virginia Beach. All common woodpeckers except for the Red-headed can be found year-round. In the spring Ovenbirds are prevalent, along with Northern Parulas. April and May also bring other species such as American Redstarts, Hooded and Worm-eating Warblers. Other common spring and summer residents include Eastern Wood-Pewees, Acadian Flycatchers and Great Crested Flycatchers. On the owl side, Barred Owls are not uncommon and have successfully nested near the swamp in recent years.
The canopy is high, so viewing the upper story of the woods from the trails can be a challenge; however, the viewing from the perimeter of the tree-line that circles around the Buffington House offers great views for birding.
Accessibility: This natural area has been kept in its natural state except for a series of shared-use trails that total approximately 2.5 miles of soft path and .3 miles of paved ADA-compliant trails. The trail system borders West Neck Road to the west and Princess Anne Road to the north. The City of Virginia Beach highlights this site’s mixed-use value: “as a valuable aesthetic resource, the West Neck Creek Natural Area offers the opportunity for passive recreational uses, such as hiking, fishing, bird watching, horseback riding, nature observation and photography.” With the advent of COVID-19, the paved loop has become very popular with families.
If you are considering leaving the paved trail, the rest of the trails are normally muddy — sometimes very muddy — and bugs are prevalent when the foliage comes in. Also, occasional low-flying jet traffic directly overhead is not uncommon depending upon the winds.
The area is open sunrise to sunset and lacks restroom or water facilities.
Owner/ Manager: City of Virginia Beach
eBird Hotspot: West Neck Creek Natural Area
—Steve Myers, February 2021