by David Cohen
For a major urban area, we’re lucky to have easy access to the great outdoors! On November 13 and 26, I made my first visits to Mason Neck State Park. The park – about an hour by car from Forest Hills – is more than 1800 acres near Lorton, Virginia. Its visitors center, easy trails, and playground draw families with children of all ages. The Virginia state park adjoins the federal Elizabeth Hartwell National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1969 to protect the then-endangered bald eagle.
Here’s a little of what I saw, with links to lots of wonderful background about the birds – including videos and recordings – from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology website:
For a marvelous account of birds and other creatures in winter, check out the 2015 Forest Hills Connection article by Marjorie Rachlin, “This Cold Weather Really Is For the Birds” and her 2013 piece “Backyard Nature: Winter is Coming.”