Hog Island Wildlife Management Area

We heard about Hog Island Wildlife Management Area last week and decided yesterday to visit the area today. We could not have had more perfect weather for bird watching and hiking. Michael and I packed a lunch and plenty of ice water, then hit the road.

Since the area (not a park) is east of the Surry Power Plant, you cannot get there without being stopped at the power plant to have your car inspected and your license run for any prior offenses. We grabbed a snack while the nice officer checked us out and inspected the car. Large raptors were flying overhead and I could not wait to get to the bird watching part of the trip.

Beyond the power plant is a long gravel road that leads to the James River. Along the road there are small designated parking areas and lots of inland waterways where many species of birds hang out. We stopped at one parking area and walked a few steps up to an observation deck. An osprey nest and ospreys were in full view.

I recommend a powerful lens and tripod to anyone who is planning a trip to photograph birds. There are lots of opportunities to photograph the birds but they are mostly at a distance. The birds that were close up were moving at a clip. I was able to enjoy looking at them with my binoculars.

We drove to the end of the road, parked and walked south on the road parallel to the river. We walked for an hour and saw the following:

• Bald Eagles, both sub-adults and adults. The ones we saw on the hike were all in flight.
  
• Lots of ospreys in flight and perched, some on the nest.
  
• Many Great Blue Herons, in flight and wading. Some were perched in high trees.
• Many Great Egrets, all at a distance, either wading or in flight.
• An adult deer with a fawn. Michael spotted them in an open swamp area and the adult was lying so still we thought she was dead! It wasn't until she bounded off that we saw the fawn.
• Cormorants
• Eastern Kingbirds
• A red-headed woodpecker (loved this sighting)
• Kildeer
• Eastern Bluebirds
• A variety of swallows
• The usual assortment of blackbirds
• Cardinals
• Canada Geese
• Mallard ducks
• Vultures every time you look up!
• Mockingbirds
• Goldfinches
• Orchard Orioles
  

Heard but not seen:

• Belted Kingfisher
• Bob White
• American Flicker
  

As we started our return trek, I found feather after feather on the ground. They were all eagle feathers and they are illegal to have in your possession. I had to admire them and return them to the ground. I had Michael photograph one to illustrate the enormous size of the flight feathers. The one I am holding in the above photo is a full 15" long. When we got home, I was able to identify four of the feathers as the following: sub-adult upper tail covert, adult primary wing feather, sub-adult tail feather and adult secondary wing feather. Now I regret not photographing them all. They were quite remarkable. http://www.lab.fws.gov/featheratlas/result.php

After our two hour hike, we retrieved our cooler from the car and sat under a shade tree to enjoy our lunch. A Bald Eagle was nice enough to do a fly-by while we were eating.

As we drove out of the wildlife area, I spotted an enormous eagle's nest in a tall pine. It really was the size of a Volkswagen Beetle! We also made another stop at a platform near the water's edge of a lake. Three eagles and many Great Blue Herons were standing on a sandbar in the water on the far edge of the lake. We then saw a heron in flight with a large stick in its beak.

I am really happy that the guide on the website for Hog Island recommended the use of insect repellant all times of the year. We would have been miserable without it. As it was, I was bit three times by deer flies. Also, there are no bathroom or indoor facilities so plan accordingly.

Overall we had a great time. Once we left the park, an indigo bunting flew right in front of the car! That was breathtaking! On the way home, we drove back roads and Michael spotted a sharp-shinned hawk in flight in Newport News.

Our total drive was 224.3 miles. Hog Island is not that far away but we took a lot of intentional side roads and did some exploring. What a wonderful way to spend the day with my beloved.