Bird Watching

Take a picture or just enjoy seeing our little friends in action!

ANew River Birding & Nature Center

With a gorgeous view in any season, this gem of a spot drips with migrating birds and overflows with plant and wild life. Since 2008, the NRBNC serves as an environmental education hub for residents, businesses, and visitors from across and beyond West Virginia. Wolf Creek Park residents benefit daily from what the NRBNC has to offer, and employees of Park based companies have opportunities to relax and learn along the trails during lunch or after work. In addition, school groups, families, and visitors to the site benefit from self-interpretive nature walks, picnics, programs, and guided field trips.

 

New River Birding & Nature Center

Fayetteville, WV 25840, United States

New River Birding and Nature Center

304-574-4258

BNew River Birding & Nature Festival

A friendly birding vacation for everyone, the week long event features guided birding and nature excursions, world-class speakers, the finest collection of guides, tasty food, and a back-porch atmosphere unmatched by any other birding festival. Signature guided bird watching experiences include the opportunity to visit a wide range of habitats, world class instruction for those wanting to enhance their birding skills, and the best guide-to-guest ratio on the festival circuit.

 

New River Birding & Nature Festival

310 Oyler Ave, Oak Hill, WV 25901, United States

birding-wv.com

304-465-5617

BSpring Hill Cemetary

High up on the hill above the city of Charleston, the Spring Hill Cemetary is known for it’s bird/nature walks in the early spring. Bring you binoculars and cameras, but always remember to be respectful and stay on the paths through the Cemetary.

Bird walks are held at Spring Hill Cemetery Park on Sunday mornings during peak migration seasons. Participants gather at the parking lot on Middleton Drive, below the Mausoleum at 8:00 am.

A list of species, resident or transient at Spring Hill Cemetery Park, has been compiled by members of the Handlan Chapter, Brooks Bird Club. Their brochure is available at the Spring Hill Cemetery Park office.

 

Spring Hill Cemetary

1555 Farnsworth Dr

Charleston, WV 25311

DKanawha State Forest

9,300-acres of picnicking, hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing, bird-watching, the forest is known for having some of the best hiking trails in the area and for also hosting events throughout the year.

7500 Kanawha State Forest Drive
Charleston, WV 25314
kanawhastateforest.com

barn-owl-owl-bird-animal-59996

 

Best Events

 

Birding is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and learn more about the life of these essential animals. The vast majority of rarities that appear in West Virginia, seem to turn up at Greenbottom Wildlife Management Area and at Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam. Both of these areas are found along state route 2 which parallels the Ohio River just west of Huntington in the southwestern corner of the state. In addition to this being the most rarity-rich area in the state, Least Bitterns, Common Moorhens, Virginia and Sora Rails, Summer Tanagers and Blue Grosbeaks nest here.

 

The Best times for birding are in the spring and early summer, although some late summer events are fun as well.

 

The New River Birding & Nature Festival is held in Early May in Fayetteville WV.

 

The New River Hummingbird Festival is held in Late August at Honeysuckle Gardens in Oak Hill WV.

 

The Canaan Valley Birding Festival, in the northern part of the state is held in early June at Canaan Valley Nature Preserve.