Tips: Bring a spotting scope. ◾ Some of the boat launch sites may have seasonally available portable toilets. ◾ Heavy rains and high tides may make access roads impassable. Be aware and avoid getting mired. Do not enter standing water as it may be deeper than it looks.

Best Seasons: Year-round, but summer is often buggy.

During winter, the wetlands host hundreds of ducks including Gadwall, American Wigeon, American Black Duck, Bufflehead and Hooded and Red-breasted Merganser; Snow Geese and Tundra Swan can also be present in large numbers. Summer brings a wide variety of sandpipers, gulls, terns and coastal specialties such as Saltmarsh and Seaside Sparrow, Black Skimmer, Tricolor Heron, Glossy Ibis, and Short-billed Dowitcher. This is a reliable site for rails; King, Virginia and Clapper Rail are present and often heard. During spring and fall migration, the wooded road edges can host flocks of warblers and other passerines.

Truitts Landing is located on Brockatonorton Bay on the western shore of the Chincoteague Bay in Worcester County. Despite the name “Landing,” there is no longer a boat launch located here; the road simply ends at a small sandy beach that provides an overlook of the water. Truitts Landing is one of a series of bayside sites that dot this portion of the Chincoteague Bay (read on for a list of other landings), but Truitts stands out among them because Truitts Landing Road passes through agricultural fields, woodlands, and marshes before arriving at the landing. Thus one can sample a variety of habitats in a leisurely drive to the landing itself. Pull-offs at some spots afford the chance for extended viewing. Early morning visits in winter are particularly rewarding, with views of large flocks of wintering ducks, Snow Geese, and Tundra Swans.

Note that the lands bordering Truitts Landing Road (and most of the other landings listed below) is all privately owned, so be sure to stay on the public roadway and do not trespass by entering fields, woods, or marshes. Also be respectful of privacy for the local residents, and avoid parking near their homes. A pleasant day can be spent in the area, going to various bayside sites to sample the unique habitats that each one offers.