March Birding Guide
March birding on Chincoteague is full of activity across marsh, forest, and shoreline. Positioned along the Atlantic Flyway, the island provides an important stopover for migrating birds as well as a home for many year-round residents. Each week brings new arrivals, making March an exciting time to explore the refuge.
Whether you’re birding from your patio beneath the pines at the inn or exploring nearby refuge trails, this month offers a wonderful variety of species. Waterfowl gather on refuge pools, shorebirds work the beach and tidal flats, and songbirds fill the maritime forest with movement and sound.
March birding rewards patience and curiosity. Spend time scanning the marshes, watching the shoreline, and listening in the woods—you never know what may appear next.
Waterfowl
● Tundra Swans: These large, elegant birds can be seen in the early part of March. A great spot to see them right from your car is the aptly named Swan Cove, on the left as you approach the beach parking lots. Take binoculars if you have them!
● Snow Geese: Expect to see and hear huge flocks overhead as they travel daily from the beach and marshes to mainland Delmarva farms. Their calls are often heard before the birds come into view.
● Ducks: Last Chance for the year! Expect a variety — Northern Pintails, Green-winged Teals, Gadwall, American Widgeon, Hooded Mergansers, American Black Ducks, Bufflehead, and Mallards are all here during the last days of Winter and first days of Spring. You can sometimes see a large variety in the creek at the culvert on Beach Road, just before the Woodland Trail, and in Swan’s Cove.
Shorebirds & Marsh-Edge Species
● Dunlin: in large flocks that seem to move as one
● Piping Plovers: arrive to begin nesting on the Tom’s Cove Hook
● Sanderlings and Black-bellied plovers: endlessly entertaining peeps running along the surf and beach
● Great Black-Backed Gull: huge, bold and unmistakable
Songbirds & Woodland Visitors
● White-throated Sparrows, Eastern Bluebirds, Yellow-rumped Warblers: along the Woodland Trial
● Pine Warblers, Brown-headed Nuthatches: In the pine woodlands of the refuge and even visible from our grounds at the Inn. We love to watch them go up and down trees from pine-side room balconies.
● Carolina Wrens: usually heard in front of the inn, as they love our front flowerbeds next to the Refuge Inn sign. Their cheerful call is loud and distinctive– impossible to miss.
Raptors
● Bald Eagles: Along Beach Road and the Wildlife Loop
● Red-tailed and Cooper’s Hawks: Hunting over woodland edges or prey-scanning near trails.
● Merlin and Kestrel: Flying fast and fierce over open areas including the beach
● Osprey: Returning to the area this month to begin construction of their nesting platforms
Trail-Walking Tips
● Watch the light: Calm mornings and golden afternoons are ideal
● Trail choices:
o The Woodland Trail (pine forest, maritime forest) is ideal for songbirds, nuthatches, warblers.
o The Wildlife Loop is perfect for waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors gliding overhead.
● Scan open water: Many birds rest and feed in refuge impoundments.
● Bring gear: Binoculars, warm outerwear, a field guide or birding app, and good shoes.
● Stay quiet: Birds are often easier to spot when you take your time.
● Start at the Refuge Inn: You’re at the entrance to CNWR — so you could step out and be on the trails within minutes.
Recommended Birding Itinerary for the Day
- Sunrise Loop: Walk or bike the 3.5mi Wildlife Loop trail. Pause at a marsh boardwalk or overlook, watch for swan or goose flocks lifting off the water.
- Mid-morning woodland stroll: Move into the pine trail system on the Woodland Trail— listen for warblers, bluebirds, nuthatches.
- Lunch break at the Inn: Enjoy some tasty takeout from Blackfin Grill on the Marsh Platform, binoculars in hand.
- Afternoon beach walk: Head to the beach parking area and walk south along the shoreline to look for shorebirds feeding in the surf and raptors gliding over the dunes.
- Dinner and Debrief: Refuel with a hearty dinner at Bill’s Prime Seafood and Steaks. Pair a signature old fashioned with a bowl of French onion soup and a tomahawk steak, followed by a series of toasty amenities: Heated Pool, Hot Tub, and Sauna (in that order!)