For the uninitiated, Reusen’s reservoir can seem to be a bland spot offering fleeting glimpses of birds on a small section of the James River. VDGIF allows public access up the tracks to a small train bridge. This quarter-mile walk can offer some of the most productive habitats in the city.
On especially cold winter days, when most of the local ponds have frozen over, Reusen’s is a must-hit. This spot has been known to produce decent waterfowl counts as well as hard city birds such as Common Loon and Horned Grebe. The small marsh up the tracks is a great spot for species such as Winter Wren and Swamp Sparrow, and it may even harbor the occasional flock of Rusty Blackbirds.
Spring migration is decent along the tracks. Good swallow flocks can be seen above the railroad tracks and warbler flocks flit their way down the treeline along the river.
This spot hosts breeding Baltimore Orioles, Warbling Vireos, Yellow-throated Warblers, and Yellow Warblers. A local pair of Bald Eagles patrols this stretch and Ospreys are not uncommon either. Reusen’s is perhaps Lynchburg’s best spot for wading birds. In late summer Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, and Green Heron are all expected. This stretch of river has also seen Snowy Egret, Black-crowned Night-Heron, and Little Blue Heron.
In recent years, a mudflat has been growing and has overtaken much of the far side of the marsh. With it, there has been an increase in shorebird diversity and abundance. Killdeer and Spotted Sandpipers have been year-round for the past few years, with more notable records such as Dunlin as well. Migrant songbird flocks may also be seen along the edge of the woods.
Locally notable records from this site include Tundra Swan, Eared Grebe, Dunlin, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, and Marsh Wren.
Below Reusens Dam, half the river is Amherst and half the river is Lynchburg. Above the dam the whole river is Lynchburg to Judith Creek where Bedford starts and shares the river half and half with Amherst. Judith Creek is entirely within Bedford county making any foraging waders and shorebirds in the creek safely within Bedford.
Accessibility: Though the dam is private, access is permitted along the quarter-mile section of train tracks to the rail bridge.
eBird Hotspot: Reusen’s Dam
—Logan Anderson