Louisa County

Situated in Virginia’s Piedmont, roughly midway between the hubs of Richmond to the east and Charlottesville to the west, Louisa County can brag of some of the most colorfully-named towns in the state, with contenders such as Mineral, Bumpass, and Cuckoo. It remains largely rural, and is even home to the Twin Oaks Community, a secular commune established in 1967 and based around values of sustainability and back-to-the-land living. At the same time, the county has been no stranger to industrialization, going back to the construction of the Virginia Central Railroad in the mid-19th century. Today, Louisa is home to the North Anna Nuclear Generating Station, while the southern border of the county is dominated by Interstate 64, which weaves between Louisa and Goochland as it works its way west. Louisa made itself felt in a big way in 2011 as the epicenter of an earthquake which shook the White House and was felt as far away as Canada.

It is equally bountiful for birders, and over 200 species have been recorded here. From a birding perspective, the defining feature may well be Green Springs National Historical Landmark District. The area has gained a bit of celebrity among birders for its wintering Short-eared Owls and the spectacular show they often put on, but there are many other noteworthy birds in the general area including two records of Rough-legged Hawks and a pair of Sandhill Cranes that has overwintered for three years running. Beyond this, the area hosts breeding Grasshopper Sparrows, Summer and Scarlet Tanagers, Northern Bobwhites, Yellow-breasted Chats, and Blue Grosbeaks. East Green Springs and East Jack Jouett Roads are both good for birding the area, but East Green Springs typically has less traffic, making it easier to bird along the road in search of field birds such as Vesper Sparrows and American Pipits, as well as spring migrants, in the appropriate season. East Jack Jouett is better known as the viewing spot for the Short-eared Owls, while West Jack Jouett Road allows distant views of Hawkwood Lake, which has hosted Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, and a flock of Tundra Swans which were once joined by a Trumpeter. In the early fall, Hawkwood also boasts mudflats which can hold Great Egrets, as well as a variety of shorebirds including Short-billed Dowitcher, both Yellowlegs, Pectoral, Least, and Semipalmated Sandpipers.

Beyond Green Springs, Louisa claims half of Lake Anna, a massive reservoir created in 1971 to provide cooling water for the nuclear power plant, and which has since become a popular recreation destination. The Louisa side of the lake is mostly private neighborhoods, but there are two accessible areas to scope out any waterfowl or other birds. The Lake Anna Visitor Center gives a good view of the large gull flock that hangs out on the lake in the winter, and occasionally Laughing and Lesser Black-backed Gulls will join the expected species. On the eastern end, Dike 3 is also an accessible location and is better for Red-breasted Mergansers. Northeast Reservoir just east of Mineral is seldom birded, but is good for diving ducks including a report of Long-tailed Duck. Goldmine Marsh, viewable from the road, was put on the map by four overwintering Trumpeter Swans but also holds Swamp Sparrows and Wood Ducks. It also has the potential for Least Bittern, Virginia Rail, and Marsh Wren, all of which are rare and seldom reported in the county. Finally, a quick turn off I-64 at Zion Crossroads can place you at Crossing Pointe Ponds, a set of treatment ponds surrounded by woods on one side and a soccer complex on the other. The ponds usually hold a small flock of Bufflehead and have turned up both scaup species, while the brushy edges are great for fall warblers, and the soccer fields can hold Savannah and Vesper Sparrows.

Notables include a number of long-staying birds enjoyed by many, such as Western Grebe, Sandhill Crane, Rough-legged Hawk, and Trumpeter Swan.

—Andrew Rapp

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