Page County
Red-breasted Merganser, © Alex Shipherd
Page County is home to the famous Luray Caverns and the central portion of Shenandoah National Park including Skyland Lodge. Tourism now plays a large role in the local economy due to these attractions, and many restaurants close for the winter season when there are not as many tourists. The county encompasses the Page Valley with the Blue Ridge to the east and the Massanutten Ridge to the west.
Page County contains some of the highest elevations in Shenandoah National Park which offers excellent passerine migration in the spring and fall along with some interesting high elevation breeders such as Yellow-rumped Warbler, Veery, Blue-headed Vireo, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. The White House Boat Ramp and the fields along Kauffman's Mill Road to the north near the 211 bridge over the Shenandoah River are another popular spot to look for passerines, especially Sparrows in migration and winter. A Peregrine Falcon can often be seen hunting the large flock of Pigeons that like to frequent the bridge during the winter. During the summer the bridge hosts a colony of Cliff Swallows. Luray is well known for its colony of Black-crowned Night Herons, they can be seen throughout the summer along the Hawksbill Greenway that runs through the center of the town. Rarely a Yellow-crowned Night-heron will join them. Lake Arrowhead, located between the national park and Luray, is the best location to look for waterfowl in the county, most regular species of waterfowl in the state have been seen here, along with more notable species such as Surf Scoter, Long-tailed Duck, and Red-necked Grebe. As with many inland counties in Virginia shorebirds can be more of a challenge. There are several farm ponds northeast of Luray, most notably the ones along Old Forge and Sedwick roads, that have proved good for shorebirds in the last few years.
Notable records include Black Skimmer, Leach's Storm-Petrel, Varied Thrush, Harris's Sparrow, and Pine Grosbeak.
—James Fox
Hotspots
Amenities
The Luray Caverns are the largest and most visited caverns in the eastern US, they are definitely worth visiting if you get a chance. Another popular attraction is Cooter's Place, a museum and store dedicated to the Dukes of Hazard TV show. It is run by Ben Jones, who played the role of Cooter Davenport. The South Fork of the Shenandoah River passes through the middle of Page county, offering many opportinities for canoeing, kayaking and tubing. Shenandoah River Outfitters is the place to go for canoe, kayak and tube rentals, they also have a campground and cabins for those interested in staying on the river overnight. Food wise, the Triple Crown BBQ stand west of the caverns on 211 serves some fantastic barbecue Friday through Sunday in the spring/summer/fall. If you're spending the day in Shenandoah National Park there is a restaurant at Skyland along with a stand selling various pre prepared sandwiches. This is one of the few spots to get food in the park. Craft beer fans will also want to visit Hawksbill Brewing Co. in Luray.
CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS
The Shenandoah NP-Luray CBC circle falls almost entirely in Page county, with the exception of a bit of Madison county along the Blue Ridge. It contains much of the central portion of Shenandoah NP and much of the Page Valley surrounding Luray. The first CBC for this circle dates all the way back to 1934, the next count was not until 1946 and it was held annually through 1955 with another hiatus until 1969. Since 1969 the count has been held annually. If you are interested in participating please contact the compiler, Alan Williams, alanbwill@gmail.com.