Description
Located along a small indentation known as Godfrey Bay, the Piankatank River Landing offers naturalists spectacular views of the Piankatank River mouth at its juncture with the Chesapeake Bay. This site features a quiet, publicly accessible beach which can be used to launch a kayak or canoe. During favorable tides, and especially during migrations, the marshes, mud flats, and small white sand beach provide foraging habitat for various shorebirds and large waders. In the channel, wintering horned grebes, loons, and diving ducks can often be seen. Up to five species of tern summer here, including locally rare least and sandwich terns. Bald cypresses along the site’s eastern edge, and the trees just inland, attract several species of woodland birds. These trees are especially rewarding during migration, though nesting birds are also numerous here.
Wildlife Sightings
Birds Recently Seen at Piankatank River Landing (as reported to eBird)
- Bufflehead
- American Herring Gull
- Horned Grebe
- Bald Eagle
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Dark-eyed Junco
- White-throated Sparrow
Amenities & Access Considerations
Amenities
- Parking
- Kayak/Canoe Launch
Maps & Directions
Location Coordinates: 37.505579, -76.354304
From I-64, take Exit #220/SR 33 East. Proceed 17 miles to Glenns and continue straight through the light onto SR 198. Follow SR 198 16.2 miles and turn left on Rt. 626. Proceed 0.4 miles to Rt. 632, turn left, and continue 0.4 miles to the road’s end.
What to Know Before Visiting
The Virginia Bird and Wildlife Trail is a network of more than 500 premier wildlife viewing sites across the state. Walk a nature trail, paddle a river, or enjoy a scenic overlook and you’ll soon understand what makes Virginia a premier destination for birding and wildlife viewing.