Luray-Hawksbill Greenway

Elevation: 753 ft.

The newly established Greenway in Luray provides excellent wildlife watching in an urban setting. Hawksbill Creek is easily accessible via the Greenway’s walking trails and the creek can be followed all the way through town. Species to look for as you meander along the creek include green heron and black-crowned night-heron, belted kingfisher, downy woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, eastern bluebird and American goldfinch. Common summer visitors include killdeer and tree swallows. In the more heavily wooded sections near the north end of the Greenway, many common woodland backyard birds are numerous and may at times be joined by migrating flycatchers, warblers and vireos. Butterflies and dragonflies are easily spotted along the creek. Spicebush and eastern tiger swallowtails are especially easy to see while pearl crescents and eastern tailed-blues are less obvious but still numerous. Dragonflies in the area include eastern amberwing, widow skimmer and common green darner.