A “Delmarvalous” Place for a Birdwatching and Nature Retreat

Special submission to the Mirror by Joseph Ciccanti.

Some places provide an atmosphere that is favorable for a personal retreat. One particular town, Cape Charles on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, gives off that vibe. This area offers a place for people to enjoy the beauty of nature. Such a location also makes people want to plan such a worthwhile day trip, because it allows them get away from the crowds and busy schedule. At Kiptopeke State Park and nearby locations, nature lovers immerse themselves in the peaceful and picturesque surroundings both inland and near the water. I drove three hours from Sussex County, Delaware for that kind of brief hiatus.

At Kiptopeke State Park, once you get out of your car, you feel the welcoming atmosphere in terms of nature, as I experienced one day recently. The breeze immediately refreshed me, and the brightly shining sun did not get interrupted by any clouds. The birds traversed the clear, blue sky. Good weather and the beauty of nature can really put you in an upbeat mood.

Bird watchers love to come to this site. If you are interested in a unique migratory bird habitat, Kiptopeke State Park is indeed a great place for observation and exploration purposes. The park attracts a wide diversity of birds, as Watchable Wildlife Biologist, Jessica Ruthenberg describes. “It is best known for its migratory songbirds, migrating raptors, and winter waterfowl,” she adds. Among the birds I saw listed as sighted there include the bald eagle, brown pelican, sandpiper, cormorant, osprey, plover, and the ring-billed gull. 287 species of birds, as Ruthenberg mentions, have been documented at Kiptopeke State Park, according to eBird.

The Hawk Observatory is the main birdwatching highlight of the park. You can observe the birds at anytime of the year, but fall is one of the best times when migrating songbirds and raptors are heading south along Virginia’s coast on the Atlantic Flyway. The annual Kiptopeke fall Hawkwatch, operated by Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory, counts in excess of 70,000 raptors, according to the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. What draws them to this specific spot? “The unique shape of the Eastern Shore funnels these migratory birds towards its southern tip where Kiptopeke State Park is located,” Ruthenberg explains. At the observatory, you’ll see in the picnic area, a handicap accessible elevated Hawkwatch platform that provides one of the finest sites in the Americas to view migrating birds of prey, according to the DGIF’s website.

Kiptopeke State Park is a designated site on the statewide Virginia Bird & Wildlife Trail. Ruthenberg mentions that it is one of seventeen sites on the Eastern Shore that the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries has designated as top spots in the Commonwealth for birding and wildlife viewing. You can view them all at VirginiaWildlife.gov/BirdTrail.

So if you want to get away from a tight, busy schedule to relax, view birds, or enjoy nature in general, Kiptopeke State Park offers that kind of place. You’ll find the park at the southernmost end of the Delmarva Peninsula and Virginia’s Eastern Shore. You’ll see on the map or plug into your GPS the following address: 3540 Kiptopeke Drive, which is west and off of Route 13 and Lankford Highway. If you want to find out more information, call 757-331-2267. In addition you may want to check out the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge–just a three-minute drive a little over a mile to the south and east. All of Cape Charles really, offers that quiet, peaceful retreat-like setting both near the water as well as inland.