DMV Birding!
An overview of the best birdwatching in the DC region
*All photos (unless otherwise marked) are taken by me and not to be reprinted without my written consent.
Birding. An activity pop culture mostly relegates to retirees, has exploded in popularity during the pandemic for all ages. It is no wonder, as so much of our normal societal interactions have been limited and we inevitably spend more time outdoors to keep ourselves sane — or least longingly stare out the window.
I have to admit, I paid absolutely no attention to birds before March, 2020. But then I started spending hours a day on my balcony as lockdowns rolled across the country. Almost immediately, I began to notice this world of little animals hopping around on the tree branches nearby. At first, it was mostly starlings — which I was very impressed with myself for identifying as my first bird, until I realized they are invasive and hated by everyone…
Side note — the story of the starling is actually fascinating. In 1890, a NY man and lover of Shakespeare released 60 starlings into Central Park. He wanted to introduce all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays to North America but none of the others he released survived. Apparently, starlings are resilient little bastards and not only survived the winter in their new habitat but THRIVED. There are now an estimated 200 million starlings in the US and they are highly invasive and destructive to the economy and ecosystems. As a friend of mine describes, they are “beautiful little oil slicks.” As I passed pandemic time working from my balcony, they became frequent visitors and couldn’t care less that I was two feet away from them as they pillaged whatever bird seed I put out.
As the spring emerged, I was thrilled to see more birds arrive! I identified blue jays, cardinals, sparrows, house finches, mourning doves, and mockingbirds (male and female for each)— all from my 7th-floor “backyard!” I spent $200 on multiple bird feeders, suet cages, and fiery top-dollar bird seed that was supposed to attract even more “exotic” birds. (At this point ANY kind of bird was exotic to me.)
As the months wore on and we slowly felt more comfortable doing things outdoors again, I ventured beyond my apartment and back into the many DC, NOVA, and MD parks I’d always spent time in.
But this time, I heard a symphony of sounds that had never before reached my ears. It was an awakening that I equate to learning a new language or Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. And more than just hearing them consciously for the first time, I found that I could also identify which birds were making these sounds after spending so much time listening from my balcony. It was thrilling!
The New York Times, Washington Post, and others have published numerous pieces about how backyard birding swept the nation in 2020 due to the pandemic and created many first-time bird enthusiasts. Aside from giving us something safe and fun to do outdoors to occupy our time during seemingly endless days of pandemic monotony, I have also found birding to be an immensely peaceful, almost meditative, activity that one can get swept up in for hours on end. It leaves you feeling refreshed and calm about the status of the world — at least for a little while.
For all these reasons, I wanted to share some of my favorite local places and parks for birding. Infused in these recommendations are:
- Tips and tricks
- Gear recommendations
- What to expect at different times of day and different seasons
- My beautiful bird photos and where to take them
1. Dumbarton Oaks Park — NW, DC
Many Washingtonians may know of the Dumbarton Oaks estate and gardens on the edge of Georgetown. It’s a beautiful 19th-century building, museum, and 16 acres of gardens meticulously designed over thirty years by landscape gardener Beatrix Farrand. There’s a lot to learn about this place and the gardens are amazing, so check out their website. But, for this post, I actually want to focus on the park of the same name behind the gardens.
The entrance point to Dumbarton Oaks Park is indicated on the map as “Lover’s Lane” on R St. This paved trail descends down alongside the Dumbarton Oaks gardens (which were closed due to the pandemic the last time I went — while the park itself was open). Very quickly, the trail forks. Stay to the left and continue into the park on the “Whitehaven Trail.”
The park is small but gorgeous and with a surprising amount of side trails that crisscross a small creek over ancient stone bridges. There are also open grassy areas perfect for picnicking (or a socially-distanced birthday party…I should know) and a hilly forested area near the back that connects up to several embassies.
Because of its close proximity to all the numerous species of flowers, trees, and bushes planted in Dumbarton Oaks gardens, Dumbarton Oaks Park can be a birding goldmine.
This is especially apparent during the spring migration when everything is in bloom and migratory birds are heading back north after the long winter. Head to this park March — May to catch them, particularly in the morning or evening.
In two spring visits to this park, I saw woodpeckers, robins, orioles, cardinals, blue jays, and many small finches and song birds flocking to the colorful budding flowers.
I do not position myself as a birding expert. But it doesn’t take any expertise or special gear to appreciate the many species you’ll see at this park. Combined with its ease of access and local / quiet feel, this spot is at the top of my list.
2. Meridian Hill Park — NW, DC
Meridian Hill Park is an oasis in the middle of a bustling city. Over 100 years old, it’s a National Historic Landmark and part of the National Park Service. It contains intricate statues of Dante Alighieri and Joan of Arc holding her sword high, mid-charge toward the Washington Monument visible in the distance.
The park has held many important roles throughout our city’s history, including as a gathering place during the Civil Rights Era. Every Sunday, for over 40 years, drummers and dancers have gathered to express African-American history and tradition in a multi-cultural celebration all can join for hours until sundown. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited the park whenever he was in D.C. In 1969, civil rights activist Angela Davis spoke at a rally in the park and called for its name to be changed to “Malcom X Park” so that it could become a symbol of pride and history to the historically black neighborhood in which it sits. While this name change was never officially made, many locals use this name for the park.
Fun fact: Meridian Hill / Malcom X Park has the longest, man-made cascading waterfall in the country!
Today, throngs of gentrified Millennials use the park as a morning workout playground, set up hammocks and picnics on weekends, or use it as a dog park — something I am NOT happy about and needs to change…
But, for all its uses and history, it’s clear this park is loved by so many due to its beautiful 100-year old oak trees, open spaces, and the connection to nature it brings within the confines of the city. I lived across the street from this park for four years and it became a much-needed natural grounding point in my daily life.
The park also provides essential habitat for birds and other creatures in the middle of a sterile desert of human development.
Meridian Hill / Malcom X Park is one of your best bets for middle-of-the-city birdwatching. I once saw a bald eagle there. When the fountains are working, DC Parks n Rec also install aquatic plants in the lower level pools which attract waterfowl like ducks and geese. Just keep your freakin’ dog on a leash and clean up after it okay?!
Also make sure you visit early in the morning for your best birdwatching chances. The park gets packed during the day and after work as people rush out to catch as much light as they can or to enjoy an outdoor Happy Hour.
3. National Arboretum — NE, DC
The U.S. National Arboretum needs no introduction for most D.C. residents. Established in 1927, today it covers 446 acres of “azalea, boxwood, daffodil, daylily, dogwood, holly, magnolia, and maple. Major garden features include: aquatic plants, the Asian Collections, the Fern Valley Native Plant Collections, the Flowering Tree Collection, the Flowering Tree Walk, the Friendship Garden, the Gotelli Conifer Collection, the Introduction Garden, the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, the National Capitol Columns, the National Grove of State Trees, and the National Herb Garden,” according to its website.
The National Arboretum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places due to its “importance which contributes significantly to the cultural heritage and visual beauty of the District of Columbia.”
As you might imagine, the Arboretum’s flora attract many birds throughout the year. There is even a a pair of mated bald eagles named “Mr. President” and “The First Lady.” The American Eagle Foundation provides a livestream “nest cam” to view the eagles during mating season. The exact location / trails near the eagles are closed to protect their habitat from the Arboretum’s 500,000+ annual visitors.
4. Huntley Meadows Park — Alexandria, VA
Lots of photos for this one because this is where I have seen the most birds in the DMV by a LONG shot. Huntley Meadows, just a few minutes outside of DC, draws amateur and professional birders of all kinds. Many tripods and long-range telephoto lenses are set up along its boardwalks.
At 1,452 acres, Huntley Meadows is the largest example of wetlands habitat of its kind in the region. Bordered on all sides by suburban sprawl, the park was created in 1975 and has been slowly returning to its natural state as beavers and other fauna return to the area. There are a few miles of flat and easy trails good for any skill level, a visitor’s center, two entrances, and a boardwalk and elevated observation platform which offer excellent wildlife viewing.
According to the National Park Service, “wetlands occupy an important transition zone between land and water, and are considered among the most biologically diverse and productive ecosystems in the world.”
In the 1970s and 80s, Huntley Meadows’ central wetland was one of the most productive and diverse non-tidal wetlands in the mid-Atlantic area. However, a major restoration project was needed to remove silt and debris that slowly poured into the wetlands from the surrounding neighborhoods, “because of concrete ditches carrying storm water and poorly regulated construction projects,” according to Fairfax County. It’s a fascinating story of how the county initiated a major, years-long program to restore the wetlands and continue to actively manage it today to protect its biodiversity. Regularly, they even increase the central wetland pool to twice its size in order to expand the wetland footprint and create “valuable flooded forest habitat.” I recommend learning more: here.
All of these factors contribute to Huntley Meadows’ intense birding opportunities. I have been to this park more times than I can count and have never been disappointed. Birding is the park’s main activity for most visitors. More than 200 bird species have been identified here. The nature center also hosts frequent birding tours and casual meetup groups. Check out more information on these: here.
5. Mason Neck State Park — Lorton, VA
A few miles south from Huntley Meadows, about 20 total miles from downtown DC, is Mason Neck State Park. At 1,856 acres, the park offers hiking trails, paved multi-use trails, picnic areas, a playground, canoe, kayak and bicycle rentals, and a visitor center.
The state park also borders the 2,276-acre Elizabeth Hartwell Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge. Created initially in 1969 as a safe haven for the endangered bald eagles along the Potomac River, the refuge today provides habitat to over 211 bird species, more than 200 plant species, 31 mammal species, and 40 species of reptiles and amphibians. The refuge is also home to a 207-acre tidal freshwater marsh known as the “Great Marsh.” More information provided by the US Fish and Wildlife Service can be found: here. There’s also a simple map of the Mason Neck state park and National Wildlife Refuge areas: here.
The combined Mason Neck area is also one of the largest, if not THE largest (depending on who you talk to) breeding ground (aka: “rookery”) for great blue herons on the east coast — with more than 1,200 nests!
I don’t know about you, but I have only ever seen individual herons stalking through marshy waters on their high legs. At Mason Neck, you can see them in FLOCKS flying low along the water. It is incredible — like something out of the oasis scene in Jurassic Park. Before the dinosaurs start killing everyone…
Across the bay from Mason Neck is Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge (642 acres), Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge (325 acres), and Leesylvania State Park (544 acres). Around the corner from Mason Neck is Pohick Bay Regional Park (1,000 acres). This is all clearly visible on the map and add up to something like 6,600 total acres — creating an amazing complex of boating, birding, and hiking opportunities in the Occoquan Bay region of the Potomac River.
As the DC-metro area rapidly grows, these parks and refuges provide some of the last-remaining undeveloped habitats in the region and support critical biodiversity for many trees, plants, and wildlife species.
6. Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary — Lothian, MD
You might be noticing a theme here as I add another wetlands to this list of my favorite birding places in the DMV. Indeed, as discussed a few times already, the biodiversity of wetlands habitat is perfect for attracting birds of all kinds.
There are three main kinds of wetlands. Huntley Meadows is a great example of a non-tidal marsh wetland, with grasses and shrubs surrounding the central wetland pool. Jug Bay is an example of a tidal swamp (as well as tidal marsh) with many trees growing up from the water and with water that is deeper. A bog is an area of acidity, low-oxygen, peat and moss created by lots of decaying organic plant material. Bogs provide an interesting environment for rare plant species including carnivorous (animal-eating) plants. In the DMV region, Suitland Bog is one great example of this. More information on wetlands can be found: here.
Jug Bay is an amazing wetlands I recently visited for the first time but will be returning to frequently. 30 min from DC, it has 19 miles of trails, 2,000 acres of paddling (kayaking / SUP / canoe), and 300+ bird species. According to its website, “this protected land provides a safe haven for a high diversity of plants, insects, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish and microbes, and rich Native American cultural resources.”
Jug bay also offers many educational and volunteer programs. They have extensive research and citizen science programs as they constantly monitor water quality, take soil samples, map songbird populations, track monarch butterfly migrations, study box turtles, and more. All of this contributes to our knowledge of our local DMV ecosystem and helps keep these places healthy and biodiverse.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Lake Barcroft — Alexandria, VA; Rock Creek Park — DC; and your own backyard.
There are many other places in the DC region to see birds. The other day, there was a rare sighting of a tropical painted bunting along the C&O Canal near Great Falls.
A favorite place of mine early in the pandemic, was Lake Barcroft. It’s technically a private neighborhood around a small lake with multiple sandy beaches. But it’s not far from me and I walked around the beautiful houses and flowering trees a few times, noticing many birds, without being told to leave. I also saw deer in front yards as you can see in the middle photo, which almost look like lawn ornaments!
You can also walk down any DC street in the spring time or step out your back door or onto your balcony! You can find birds anywhere there are trees or flowers and we have both in abundance. Some people even call DC the “City of Trees.”
Finally, of course, there’s Rock Creek Park. The largest inner-city park in the country and a true oasis in the middle of the busy city life. I haven’t provided any Hackman Guided Adventures to RCP yet, mostly because it is so well known and there are many other parks and places I want to let folks know about. But I will certainly do a specific post on it at some point as it deserves one all its own.
Last But Not Least, Gear:
If you’ve made it this far, you must really be dedicated! I will now reward you with some gear recommendations that can seriously enhance your birding experience.
Sure, pinching your fingers on your phone’s screen will zoom in on whatever you’re looking at and provide a nice grainy / blurry image you can show to all your friends. But wouldn’t you like to take a photo like, this…
The sky’s the limit when it comes to how much you can spend on cameras and telephoto lenses. But as I mentioned in my two previous nature photography posts, “Blue Ridge Parkway: America’s Favorite Drive, Day 3” and “Hawksbill Sunrise Nature Photography,” investing just a few hundred bucks in a nice camera and following some simple tricks can produce amazing shots.
I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000. It’s a few years old and is technically a “point and shoot” instead of a full DSLR, but I love it. I’m still mastering all of its capabilities which are more than enough for my purposes at this point and not having a true DSLR keeps me from having to lug a bunch of extra lenses around. It also has a 16x optical zoom which provides a 35mm-equivalent focal length range of 25–400mm. An optical long-zoom is key for birding or any wildlife viewing.
Check out these previous posts for many more nature photography tips and tricks.
For birding, perhaps even more important than a camera are binoculars. The true gear staple for every bird enthusiast, binoculars open up a world of noticing the colors and close details of many birds you’ll never be able to get physically close to — like the bald eagle.
The most well-known bird organization in the country, the National Audubon Society, has an excellent “Guide to Binoculars” that I highly recommend. Just like cameras, there are many kinds of binoculars ranging from very cheap to VERY expensive.
I have a pair of the Vortex Optics Diamondback 10x42 Roof Prism Binoculars and love them (see picture below, available on Amazon and elsewhere). This is in the mid-range / good value category. Never having owned a pair more than $10 in my life, I didn’t how good binoculars could be and how much they could enhance my outdoor wildlife viewing experience. A quality pair of binoculars is worth every penny. More than looking through the electric viewfinder of a camera, these make you feel like you’re right next to the bird in real-life HD.
As far as I’m concerned, there isn’t much more gear to consider beyond a good optical zoom camera and binoculars. This is another point that makes birding so easy and accessible. You can certainly combine birding with backcountry trips, biking, boating, or anything else that would require a lot more gear. But you can also just walk out your door.
I would recommend picking up a good bird book or joining the National Audubon Society. There’s a lot to learn and it’s always fun to be able to cross reference what species you just identified. I also use “Birds of the Mid-Atlantic States: A Guide to Common and Notable Species” as a lightweight, foldable, waterproof accessory to my adventures.
Will Hackman, Hackman Guided Adventures
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