The Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge is a

wildlife refuge A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...

located in

Northampton County, Virginia Northampton County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,282. Its county seat is Eastville. Northampton and Accomack Counties are a part of the larger Eastern Shore of Virginia. The ...

, at the southern end of the Eastern Shore and near the tip of the

Delmarva Peninsula The Delmarva Peninsula, or simply Delmarva, is a large peninsula and proposed state on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by the vast majority of the state of Delaware and parts of the Eastern Shore regions of Maryland and Virginia ...

. It is managed by the

United States Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

. The refuge was established in 1984; much of its land was previously part of

Fort John Custis Colonel John Custis IV (August 1678 – November 22, 1749) was an American planter, politician, government official and military officer who sat in the House of Burgesses from 1705 to 1706 and 1718 to 1719, representing the electoral constitue ...

(later

Cape Charles Air Force Station Cape Charles Air Force Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located south of Townsend, Virginia. It was closed in 1981. From 1941 to 1948 it was Fort John Custis of the United States Army C ...

), a base used by the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

1941–1948 and the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...

from 1948 until 1981. Gun batteries remain from the Army period and several buildings remain from the Air Force period. A

16"/50 caliber Mark 7 gun The 16"/50 caliber Mark 7 – United States Naval Gun is the main armament of the ''Iowa''-class battleships and was the planned main armament of the cancelled . Description Due to a lack of communication during design, the Bureau of Ordnance ...

and a projectile from an have been placed at Battery Winslow, formerly part of Fort John Custis. Also near the refuge is Fisherman Island, classed as a " Wetland of International Importance". The refuge is an important staging area for

migratory bird Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between Breeding in the wild, breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Animal migration, Migration carries high costs in predation a ...

s, and is used as well for the management and study of

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

such as the northeastern beach tiger beetle and

piping plover The piping plover (''Charadrius melodus'') is a small sand-colored, sparrow-sized shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand and gravel beaches in North America. The adult has yellow-orange-red legs, a black band across the forehead from e ...

References

External links

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Eastern Shore of Virginia NWR
* National Wildlife Refuges in Virginia Protected areas of Northampton County, Virginia Protected areas established in 1984 1984 establishments in Virginia {{NorthamptonCountyVA-geo-stub