Chesterfield County
This is one of the longer hikes available in the Richmond area (greater than 5 miles), but it occurs mostly on flat land. There are numerous picnic shelters and other resting places along the way, so you can take your time. Dutch Gap is a conservation area that abuts a Virginia Power generation plant. It is a well-known birding hot spot, and can be particularly rewarding during spring migration. There are also a number of fishing docks available. Just across the parking lot from the Visitor Center is the Citie of Henricus. This is a reconstruction of the first city in Virginia, and it offers reenactments of daily life in the early 1600's (fee required).
Trail Facts
Parking Location: Parking lot near the Visitor Center and the Citie of Henricus
Parking Availability : About 100 slots
Fee: None
Hours: 8 AM to Dusk
Verizon INTERNET Coverage: 3 bars
Month Recorded: March
While the land lies near the power plant and Interstate 95, both of which create some noise on parts of the trip, the abundance of wildlife and scenic views more than compensates for this inconvenience. In the center of the conservation area is a lagoon. This area originally was mined for sand and gravel. The mining companies cut a channel to the James River so that barges could be used to transport the sand and gravel. The river eventually flooded the area, creating a lagoon. The remains of the barges can still be seen in the lagoon.
Just on the other side of the lagoon is an old channel of the river. During the Civil War, Union forces created a canel that cut off an oxbow loop of the river, so that they could avoid Confederate batteries on that part of the river. This canal was later enlarged, and is now the main channel of the river, leaving the oxbow as a seldom used part of the James.
On your way into the conservation area, you will pass by two overlooks for a marshy area (see waypoints). This marshy area is a favorite place for water birds, particularly in fall and winter.
To find the trailhead, walk along the right edge of the building next to the Visitors Center.
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This hike is described in the 60 Hikes book - here is an Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Hikes-Within-Miles-Williamsburg-Fredericksburg/dp/089732708X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428101620&sr=8-1&keywords=60+hikes+richmond
To learn more about the park, click the link below:
https://www.chesterfield.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Dutch-Gap-Conservation-Area-and-Boat-Lan-90
Parking Location: Parking lot near the Visitor Center and the Citie of Henricus
Parking Availability : About 100 slots
Fee: None
Hours: 8 AM to Dusk
Verizon INTERNET Coverage: 3 bars
Month Recorded: March
While the land lies near the power plant and Interstate 95, both of which create some noise on parts of the trip, the abundance of wildlife and scenic views more than compensates for this inconvenience. In the center of the conservation area is a lagoon. This area originally was mined for sand and gravel. The mining companies cut a channel to the James River so that barges could be used to transport the sand and gravel. The river eventually flooded the area, creating a lagoon. The remains of the barges can still be seen in the lagoon.
Just on the other side of the lagoon is an old channel of the river. During the Civil War, Union forces created a canel that cut off an oxbow loop of the river, so that they could avoid Confederate batteries on that part of the river. This canal was later enlarged, and is now the main channel of the river, leaving the oxbow as a seldom used part of the James.
On your way into the conservation area, you will pass by two overlooks for a marshy area (see waypoints). This marshy area is a favorite place for water birds, particularly in fall and winter.
To find the trailhead, walk along the right edge of the building next to the Visitors Center.
WEB LINKS - INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED and DATA RATES APPLY
Press Highlighted Link - If link not active in your app, copy link to Web browser
**************************************
This hike is described in the 60 Hikes book - here is an Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Hikes-Within-Miles-Williamsburg-Fredericksburg/dp/089732708X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428101620&sr=8-1&keywords=60+hikes+richmond
To learn more about the park, click the link below:
https://www.chesterfield.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Dutch-Gap-Conservation-Area-and-Boat-Lan-90
Eastern Bluebird
NATURE FIND
Eastern bluebirds can often be seen on the fence on the right side of the trail. A small (7 inches) thrush, the male Eastern Bluebird is most easily identified by its deep blue head and back, red breast, and white belly. Female Eastern Bluebirds are similar to males, but are a duller gray-blue on the head and back. Eastern bluebirds prefer open land with scattered trees for perching, nesting, and feeding. They are often seen in parks, gardens, hedges, and other areas that provide perches. They are also commonly found sitting on fences and utility wires. Eastern Bluebirds primarily eat fruits, berries, and small invertebrates. In appropriate habitat, Eastern Bluebirds may be observed flying down to the ground from perches in pursuit of prey.
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To find out more about this bird, visit the Cornell birding site:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Bluebird/id
***************************************
COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Text - Encyclopedia of Life,Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) © Unknown Supplier: DC Birds
Photo - Encyclopedia of Life, bluebird1 © Lothiriel01, Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 2.0 (CC BY-NC 2.0),Unmodified
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/
Eastern bluebirds can often be seen on the fence on the right side of the trail. A small (7 inches) thrush, the male Eastern Bluebird is most easily identified by its deep blue head and back, red breast, and white belly. Female Eastern Bluebirds are similar to males, but are a duller gray-blue on the head and back. Eastern bluebirds prefer open land with scattered trees for perching, nesting, and feeding. They are often seen in parks, gardens, hedges, and other areas that provide perches. They are also commonly found sitting on fences and utility wires. Eastern Bluebirds primarily eat fruits, berries, and small invertebrates. In appropriate habitat, Eastern Bluebirds may be observed flying down to the ground from perches in pursuit of prey.
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To find out more about this bird, visit the Cornell birding site:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Eastern_Bluebird/id
***************************************
COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Text - Encyclopedia of Life,Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) © Unknown Supplier: DC Birds
Photo - Encyclopedia of Life, bluebird1 © Lothiriel01, Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 2.0 (CC BY-NC 2.0),Unmodified
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
NATURE FIND
Yellow-Rumped Warblers are unusual in that they migrate in winter from Canada and the northeast US to Virginia and other southern states.
In fall and winter, these warblers favor open woods and shrubby habitats, including coastal vegetation, parks, and residential areas .In winter they spend lots of time eating berries from shrubs, and they often travel in large flocks. In summer, both sexes are a smart gray with flashes of white in the wings and yellow on the face, sides, and rump. Males are very strikingly shaded; females are duller and may show some brown. Winter birds are paler brown, with bright yellow rump and usually some yellow on the sides.
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To find out more about this bird, visit the Cornell birding site:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-rumped_Warbler/id
***************************************
COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Text - Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/
Photo - Encyclopedia of Life, ,Image of Setophaga coronata coronata © James Shelton, Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) Unmodified
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/
Yellow-Rumped Warblers are unusual in that they migrate in winter from Canada and the northeast US to Virginia and other southern states.
In fall and winter, these warblers favor open woods and shrubby habitats, including coastal vegetation, parks, and residential areas .In winter they spend lots of time eating berries from shrubs, and they often travel in large flocks. In summer, both sexes are a smart gray with flashes of white in the wings and yellow on the face, sides, and rump. Males are very strikingly shaded; females are duller and may show some brown. Winter birds are paler brown, with bright yellow rump and usually some yellow on the sides.
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To find out more about this bird, visit the Cornell birding site:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-rumped_Warbler/id
***************************************
COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Text - Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/
Photo - Encyclopedia of Life, ,Image of Setophaga coronata coronata © James Shelton, Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) Unmodified
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/
Tree Bench
Take a rest on this tree bench.
PIne Warbler
NATURE FIND
Pine warblers are year-round residents at Dutch Gap. The pines lining the trail in various places are frequently habited by these warblers. A medium-sized (5-5 ½ inches) wood warbler, the male Pine Warbler is most easily identified by its olive-green back, yellow breast, and dark wings with conspicuous white wing bars. Appropriately, Pine Warblers primarily breed in pine forests. Pine Warblers primarily eat small invertebrates, including insects and spiders, although this species may eat some plant material, particularly fruits and berries, during the winter. In appropriate habitat, Pine Warblers may be observed foraging for food on pine needles and in bark crevices.
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To find out more about this bird, visit the Cornell birding site:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pine_Warbler/id
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COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Text - Encyclopedia of Life,Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) © Unknown • Supplier: DC Birds
Photo - Encyclopedia of Life,File:Dendroica pinus.jpg Ken Thomas ,Public Domain ,Unmodified
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/
Pine warblers are year-round residents at Dutch Gap. The pines lining the trail in various places are frequently habited by these warblers. A medium-sized (5-5 ½ inches) wood warbler, the male Pine Warbler is most easily identified by its olive-green back, yellow breast, and dark wings with conspicuous white wing bars. Appropriately, Pine Warblers primarily breed in pine forests. Pine Warblers primarily eat small invertebrates, including insects and spiders, although this species may eat some plant material, particularly fruits and berries, during the winter. In appropriate habitat, Pine Warblers may be observed foraging for food on pine needles and in bark crevices.
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Press Highlighted Link - If link not active in your app, copy link to Web browser
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To find out more about this bird, visit the Cornell birding site:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Pine_Warbler/id
***************************************
COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Text - Encyclopedia of Life,Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) © Unknown • Supplier: DC Birds
Photo - Encyclopedia of Life,File:Dendroica pinus.jpg Ken Thomas ,Public Domain ,Unmodified
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/
Osprey Nest
NATURE FIND
Look up to see the osprey nest at the top of a telephone pole. Ospreys enjoy good fishing opportunities in the lagoon.
The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a fish-eating hawk found along coastlines and around marshes, lakes, and rivers almost worldwide. Ospreys are often seen flying over water searching for prey, then hovering and plunging feet first to capture a fish in their talons (fish are normally carried head first and belly down). Bald Eagles may sometimes chase them and force them to drop their catch. The Osprey's diet consists almost entirely of fish, generally in the range of 10 to 30 cm in length. Rarely, small mammals, birds, or reptiles may be eaten.
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To find out more about this bird, visit the Cornell birding site:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Osprey/id
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COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Text - Encyclopedia of Life,Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0) © Leo Shapiro Supplier: Leo Shapiro
Photo - Encyclopedia of Life,File:OspreyNASA.jpg NASA ,Public Domain ,Unmodified
Sounds - Encyclopedia of Life,File:Pandion haliaetus.ogg Unk ,Public Domain, Unmodified
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/
Look up to see the osprey nest at the top of a telephone pole. Ospreys enjoy good fishing opportunities in the lagoon.
The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is a fish-eating hawk found along coastlines and around marshes, lakes, and rivers almost worldwide. Ospreys are often seen flying over water searching for prey, then hovering and plunging feet first to capture a fish in their talons (fish are normally carried head first and belly down). Bald Eagles may sometimes chase them and force them to drop their catch. The Osprey's diet consists almost entirely of fish, generally in the range of 10 to 30 cm in length. Rarely, small mammals, birds, or reptiles may be eaten.
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Press Highlighted Link - If link not active in your app, copy link to Web browser
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To find out more about this bird, visit the Cornell birding site:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Osprey/id
***************************************
COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Text - Encyclopedia of Life,Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0) © Leo Shapiro Supplier: Leo Shapiro
Photo - Encyclopedia of Life,File:OspreyNASA.jpg NASA ,Public Domain ,Unmodified
Sounds - Encyclopedia of Life,File:Pandion haliaetus.ogg Unk ,Public Domain, Unmodified
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/
The Graveyard
If you have binoculars or a high-zoom camera, you will be able to get a clear view of the Graveyard from this point. The Graveyard is another site of abandoned barges that have been reclaimed by nature. With magnification, the smoke stack of one of the barges is clearly visible. You will get a closer view of these barges once you reach the other side of the lagoon.
Spicebush
NATURE FIND
Scientic Name: Lindera benzoin
Blooming Time: Mar-Apr
Spicebush is a medium-sized deciduous shrub growing to 5 m tall, typically found only in the understory of moist thickets. The leaves are very aromatic when crushed, hence the common names and the specific epithet benzoin. The flowers grow in showy yellow clusters that appear in early spring, before the leaves begin to grow. The fruit is a berrylike red drupe, rich in lipid, about 1 cm long and is highly prized by birds. It has a "turpentine-like" taste and aromatic scent, and contains a large seed. Spicebush is dioecious (plants are either male or female), so that both sexes are needed in the garden if one wants berries with viable seed. The leaves, buds, and new growth twigs can also be made into a tea. Spicebush is a favorite food plant of two lepidopterous insects: the spicebush swallowtail Papilio troilus, and the promethea silkmoth, Callosamia promethea.
DO NOT PICK WILDFLOWERS OR ATTEMPT TO TRANSPLANT THEM. Most wildflowers will not survive replanting.
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To find out more about this plant, go here:
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LIBE3
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COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Text - Encyclopedia of Life,Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Source: Wikipedia
Photo - Encyclopedia of Life,Image of Lindera benzoin © Suzanne Cadwell ,Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0), Unmodified
Scientic Name: Lindera benzoin
Blooming Time: Mar-Apr
Spicebush is a medium-sized deciduous shrub growing to 5 m tall, typically found only in the understory of moist thickets. The leaves are very aromatic when crushed, hence the common names and the specific epithet benzoin. The flowers grow in showy yellow clusters that appear in early spring, before the leaves begin to grow. The fruit is a berrylike red drupe, rich in lipid, about 1 cm long and is highly prized by birds. It has a "turpentine-like" taste and aromatic scent, and contains a large seed. Spicebush is dioecious (plants are either male or female), so that both sexes are needed in the garden if one wants berries with viable seed. The leaves, buds, and new growth twigs can also be made into a tea. Spicebush is a favorite food plant of two lepidopterous insects: the spicebush swallowtail Papilio troilus, and the promethea silkmoth, Callosamia promethea.
DO NOT PICK WILDFLOWERS OR ATTEMPT TO TRANSPLANT THEM. Most wildflowers will not survive replanting.
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To find out more about this plant, go here:
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=LIBE3
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COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Text - Encyclopedia of Life,Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Source: Wikipedia
Photo - Encyclopedia of Life,Image of Lindera benzoin © Suzanne Cadwell ,Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 (CC BY-NC 3.0), Unmodified
Red Maple
NATURE FIND
Scientific Name: Acer rubrum
Red maples are among the first trees to bloom in spring. With warm weather in early March, a few maples are beginning to flower. The red maple has the greatest north-south distribution of all East Coast trees occurring from Canada to Florida. It is adaptable to swamps and hillsides with both wet and dry conditions. Maples are reported to support almost 300 butterfly and moth species.
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To see a photo gallery, go here:
http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=1
To find out more about this tree, visit this site:
https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/acer/rubrum.htm
***************************************
COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Text - "Big Woods Tree Trail Walk", Virginia Master Naturalist, Virginia State Parks
Photo - Encyclopedia of Life, Acer rubrum (Aceraceae) - inflorescence - whole - male
© Steven J. Baskauf, Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) ,Unmodified
Photo Gallery - © Copyright 2015, Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos and text by: John Seiler, et al
More Text - United States Department of Agriculture,Forest Service Agriculture Handbook 654,Russell S. Walters and Harry W. Yawney
Scientific Name: Acer rubrum
Red maples are among the first trees to bloom in spring. With warm weather in early March, a few maples are beginning to flower. The red maple has the greatest north-south distribution of all East Coast trees occurring from Canada to Florida. It is adaptable to swamps and hillsides with both wet and dry conditions. Maples are reported to support almost 300 butterfly and moth species.
WEB LINKS - INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED and DATA RATES APPLY
Press Highlighted Link - If link not active in your app, copy link to Web browser
**************************************
To see a photo gallery, go here:
http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=1
To find out more about this tree, visit this site:
https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/acer/rubrum.htm
***************************************
COPYRIGHT NOTICES
Text - "Big Woods Tree Trail Walk", Virginia Master Naturalist, Virginia State Parks
Photo - Encyclopedia of Life, Acer rubrum (Aceraceae) - inflorescence - whole - male
© Steven J. Baskauf, Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0) ,Unmodified
Photo Gallery - © Copyright 2015, Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos and text by: John Seiler, et al
More Text - United States Department of Agriculture,Forest Service Agriculture Handbook 654,Russell S. Walters and Harry W. Yawney
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