The heron rookery near the Manchester Bridge in downtown Richmond has garnered a lot of attention among local birdwatchers and has become a popular destination to witness an annual rite of spring for nesting great blue herons.
You'll find the rookery along the James River, in the shadow of skyscrapers, at the western end of the floodwall near the junction of Byrd and 12th streets.
The large and active cluster of nests is best viewed on the pipeline trail that parallels the river, where you'll be entertained by herons, cormorants and ospreys that fish in the rapids.
Another thriving heron rookery, yet to be discovered by most local birders, can be found at Dutch Gap Conservation Area, a Chesterfield County preserve that follows the original James River channel.
Access to Dutch Gap is through Henricus Historical Park. The 840-acre preserve has many tree-lined lagoons and tidal basins that attract geese and herons as well as nesting songbirds.
According to Mark Battista, a naturalist with the Chesterfield Parks and Recreation Department, this is the fourth year of the rookery, which has 47 nests. It has grown from a meager nine nests in the first year to a high of 62 last year.
On an early-morning visit, I found the tidal basin rookery humming with activity. Of the two dozen nests that were clearly visible, pairs were busy maintaining and repairing their domiciles, making repeated trips to and fro with sticks to shore up foundations and walls. Other birds flew with sticks into the canopy and disappeared from sight.
To reach the great blue heron rookery at Dutch Gap, follow the trail loop through the preserve, whose trailhead is directly behind the Henricus Historical Park visitor center. Although the trail is more than 4 miles in length, the rookery is less than a mile, an easy walk over level ground.
From the visitor center, take the path to the first junction at mile marker 0.5, then bear left at the fork into the pines. Follow the trail past two fishing docks and a picnic shelter, both on your right, to the footbridge over the channel. Once across the bridge, continue on the path to a signpost for Dog Leg Point. Just beyond the signpost, look over the water to your right toward the nearest island, where you'll see the rookery nests among the canopy.
You're apt to see constant motion around the colony as chicks stand in the nests and eagerly wait for parents to return with fish to stuff into their gaping mouths. This noisy spectacle is entertaining, one that you and your family will surely enjoy. Be sure to take binoculars, and watch for nesting songbirds along the way, such as warblers and orioles.
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