College Lake is a property owned by the University of Lynchburg that hosts trail access linking up with both the Blackwater Creek trail systems and the University’s own network of trails that follows one half of the lake’s bank. The trails may be accessed by a small parking lot next to the University’s baseball field and tennis courts. Birding at College Lake can be hit or miss and this is true year-round.
In winter, Brown Creeper and Winter Wren are often seen more easily here than in most locations in Lynchburg. The cattail marshes are loaded with wintering Swamp Sparrows and the edges of the wetland can hide snipe and waterfowl.
The best time of the year to bird College Lake is spring. These woods are incredibly diverse in plant species and forested habitats, offering food resources for many species of migrating songbirds. The muddy banks of the two feeder streams that flow into the lake are good spots for finding species such as Solitary Sandpipers, Green Herons, and both waterthrushes.
Summer can be a bit slower but Baltimore Orioles have been recorded late into the season indicating possible breeding attempts. Historically the lake has recorded waders such as Little Blue Heron, White Ibis, and Tricolored Heron. The lake has been shrinking in recent years due to silt buildup. This may deter wading birds from using this location in the future but the silt buildup has created ample habitat for shorebirds. Shorebirding here can be iffy but on days with shorebird fallout, this is a must-hit within the city.
This site holds the city’s only records of Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, Purple Gallinule, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Limpkin! Other notable records include White-winged Scoter, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Virginia Rail, Forster’s Tern, Semipalmated Plover, Marsh Wren, and Sedge Wren.
eBird Hotspot: University of Lynchburg--College Lake
Owner/Manager: University of Lynchburg
—Logan Anderson