Dec 31 2010: Walk around Hidden Pond Nature Center Park

Every year right around New Year I visit a local park to check out the birds, plants, water and ice, and whatever else is evident.

This year I chose Hidden Pond Nature Center, a park less than two miles away--part of the Fairfax County (Va.) park system.

Today, the temperature was in the low 50's--quite balmy for the end of December. I started at the Nature Center and then wandered around the various trails, finishing at the caretaker's home.

This white breasted nuthatch was moving quickly along a tree along the perimeter of the pond--I was fortunate to catch this view of it!

Two items of note:  I experimented with a Canon Power Shot SD 4000 IS Digital Elyph camera for the first time--Steve Ingraham recommends it for use with Zeiss spotting scopes; I thought I'd give it a try in a conventional manner. Second, I wore a pair of NEOS overshoes through the muddy trails--these were a Christmas present from my wife. These are awesome! Excellent tread; they fit over my regular shoes--and are waterproof, as high as below my knee. There'll be a picture below.

This white breasted nuthatch was moving quickly along a tree along the perimeter of the pond--I was fortunate to catch this view of it!

This tufted titmouse was the next bird I saw.

The pond was slightly frozen and snow covered.

I found several patterns that caught my attention:

When I walked the trails and stream below the pond, I came across ice:

Crystals:

A nice ice block:

Finally, a faux ice floe:

A spillway below the pond provided me with some nice images:

I particularly like the pattern just upstream of the drop:

There were interesting dead wood and reflections in the pond:

The next one makes me think about a small petrified dinosaur:

I found some dried leaves that caught my attention:

It was so warm that even a small bee came out to some grasses that were in the sunlight:

 My Powershot SD 4000 camera has an interesting feature:  built-in means to create fish-eye lens effect.

I first tried it on the pond:

Then I tried it on a large picnic table--before:

and after:

The neat NEOS Overshoes, acquired through Arthus Morris' on-line store--great for getting around in marshes, muddy trails, and fording small streams--a great Christmas present from my wife! Note the velcro flap enclosures running the length of the overshoe!

  I visited the caretaker's cottage--and I saw that someone had a sense of humor:  I saw a half dozen pair of boot and sneakers thrown over tree limbs in the back yard--this is one of six!

Finally, here is what the sky looked like when I started into the park--a glorious day!

Occoquan Bay NWR Woodbridge, Va. March 22+23, 2009

I arrived at Occoquan Bay a little before noon--and observed the place just bursting with activity. I didn't know that osprey had already migrated up from way south--they were flying around, sitting in trees, and managing their nests. And, a hawk put on a performance for me, just 3 and then 10 feet away. I was so taken back by all of what I saw, I used the OB NWR bird list to identify all of the birds I saw. The appears below; the pictures follow.

I had so much fun that I took my wife down there Monday morning, just after sun rise. That is when we observed the snow geese flying overhead, plus the smaller hawk just outside the NRW's gate.

Seen at Occoquan Bay NWR

• Snow Geese, flying in formation overhead.
  
• Mallards
  
• Double-crested Cormorant
  
• Black-crowned Night-Heron (lurking in marsh grass; I startled it on foot)
  
• Osprey, about a dozen and a half
  
• Bald eagles (a pair flew right over my head)
  
• Red Shouldered Hawk (put on a show for me)
  
• Northern Flicker
  
• Eastern Kingbird
  
• Purple Martins (by their houses)
  
• Chickadees
  
• Carolina Wren
  
• Eastern Bluebird--into their mating colors now
  
• Northern Mockingbird
  
• Cedar Waxwings [in a cedar tree!]
  
• Song Sparrow
  
• White-throated Sparrow
  
• Northern Cardinal
  
• Red-winged Blackbird
  
• Great Blue Heron [spooked it twice in two days in the marsh along the Driving Tour]
  
• American Black Ducks [towards Belmont Bay]
  
• Numerous turtles sunning themselves
  
• Eastern Phoebe
  

In-bound Snow Geese, in formation

Almost overhead

Directly Overhead

Snow Geese just past overhead

Snow Geese Outbound

Snow Geese departing the area

One of many Osprey on a nest

A pair of Osprey on a nest
Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Phoebe
Cedar Waxwings, just after they left a cedar tree
Mature adult bald eagle

Great Blue Heron in a tree

Cormorants in Belmont Bay

This hawk startled me--just 3' away on the ground
It flew up into a nearby tree and put on a show
I got one more shot, a closeup, before it finally flew away
White Throated Sparrow enjoying a treat

Unknown sparrow-like bird

Turtle by the marsh on Driving Trail
Two turtles swimming in the marsh
Many turtles sunning themselves just past the butteryfly garden
Northern Cardinal
Interesting remnant of wood at the edge of a field
Smaller hawk seen just outside the entrance of the NRW