Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Osprey Pixabay Public Domain
Welcome to Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the 9,000-acre wildlife refuge located in Virginia Beach, founded in 1938. Located in what was formerly Princess Anne County, this wetland refuge host thousands of migratory waterfowl, such as snow geese and tundra swans. The area serves as a 'feeding and resting habitat' for these birds, a critical segment in the Atlantic Flyway.
Along this thin strip of barrier island coastline, you will find beaches, dunes, woodlands, agriculture fields, and freshwater marshes. The wide variety of nesting grounds allows for an even wider variety of birds to take advantage of the land, such as ducks, osprey, geese, seagulls, and swans. Today you can also see a few endangered critters that have emerged in the area more recently, such as the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Piping Plover, Bald Eagle, and Brown Pelican.
During your visit, your group can hike any of the 8 scenic trails, stop at the Visitor Station, take park in interpretive programming, or set up a group educational option. Hunting (during deer management seasons), fishing, wildlife viewing, photography, biking, and boating are also activities presented here. If you opt-in for an educational session you will learn the role of proper management and maintenance of healthy ecosystems such as this!
AST Tip: Pack a lunch or dinner and have a relaxing picnic here. It will save money and hassle!
