Birding spots · Virginia
Best Birding Spots in Nelson County, Virginia
Lake Nelson Public Fishing Lake leads Nelson County's birding spots with 146 species reported, best in spring. 17 spots in the county have enough data to rank.
Species counts are birds reported at least three times in that season at that spot, 2016–2025. Busy spots list more species simply because more people look, so compare the checklist counts. Spot names come from public map data and hotspot listings.
| Spot | Species | Winter | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Nelson Public Fishing Lake | 146 | 71 | 115 | 66 | 105 |
| James River Wildlife Management Area | 123 | 50 | 108 | 66 | 46 |
| Fortune's Cove | 95 | 24 | 77 | 47 | 48 |
| Bishop Creek | 95 | 36 | 70 | 49 | 23 |
| Lake Monocan | 72 | 31 | 45 | 26 | 38 |
| Rockfish Gap (Swannanoa) | 71 | 14 | 39 | 35 | 38 |
| Blue Ridge Parkway (Reids Gap) | 69 | 0 | 40 | 31 | 58 |
| Appalachian National Scenic Trail | 63 | 6 | 37 | 42 | 29 |
| Blue Ridge Parkway (Afton Mountain) | 52 | 0 | 41 | 20 | 21 |
| Colleen | 48 | 30 | 18 | 3 | 12 |
| Afton | 47 | 18 | 26 | 22 | 16 |
| Crabtree Creek | 41 | 2 | 24 | 33 | 2 |
| Birding spot near Wintergreen | 143 | 42 | 95 | 71 | 132 |
| Birding spot near Nellysford | 121 | 48 | 104 | 63 | 89 |
| Birding spot near Schuyler | 81 | 12 | 61 | 34 | 42 |
| Birding spot near Arrington | 45 | 23 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
| Birding spot near Wintergreen (Devils Knob) | 40 | 6 | 30 | 16 | 15 |