INDiaNTOWN PARK

In Brief: This small (52-acre) county park is often used by recreational groups and private functions, but birding is normally possible on the margins and through the woodland trail even when other activities are in progress. At best a brief, pleasant stop while birding up and down the Seaside Road. Public restrooms are available in the recreation center.  

Access:  7399 Indiantown Rd, Eastville, VA 23347; Open daily, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Telephone: 757-678-0468 (Department of Parks and Recreation, Northampton County)

Email: parks@co.northampton.va.us

Additional Info: Virginia DGIF Birding Trail Site

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BIRDING INDIANTOWN PARK

Indiantown Park consists of picnic shelters, playground, softball field, soccer field, and recreation center. The mixed hardwood/pine forest in the eastern part of the park provides habitat for songbirds during migration and for a few nesting species as well, notably White-eyed Vireo, Prairie Warbler, Orchard Oriole, and Eastern Bluebird. The manicured lawn areas attract the “winter edge guild” of bluebird, Palm and Pine Warblers, Chipping Sparrow and other species, and a Western Kingbird was found here in January 1993. A rare species of damselfly, Furtive Forktail, is known from this park.

Perhaps more interesting to birders than the park itself are the large agricultural fields that lie to its west. When wet at almost any season, but especially in spring and fall, these fields draw large, sometimes enormous numbers of shorebirds, which can be scoped after pulling safely and completely off the road. In winter, tens of thousands of Snow Geese have been seen here, and thousands of Canada Geese, with Ross’s, Cackling, and Greater White-fronted also, usually just single birds. Flocks of American Pipits and Horned Larks are regular in some of the fields October through March, and Lapland Longspur is to be sought among or near them, particularly after heavy snows that cover the fields, bringing sparrows and other field birds to road edges. This stretch of road, like many parts of the Seaside Road, has produced autumn records of Clay-colored Sparrow.