Richmond Rookery & Prince William Forest

Despite the rain that was predicted (and then came), my roommie, Abby, and I headed down to Richmond at 6 a.m. this morning. Why, you ask? To GET OUT THERE, that's why! :)

And, oh, did it feel great to get out there. I've been aching to get out for an adventure - especially when the weather got really nice a couple weeks ago. So FINALLY, I was able to do so today and it was great to have Abby along. She had been told about a Great Blue Heron Rookery right in the downtown area of Richmond. So...we headed south to see the spectacle. Sure enough, right behind the flood wall in the quaint, historic area of downtown Richmond, on an island in the middle of the James River, there were many of these majestic birds nesting in the tree tops. This picture doesn't do it justice. You have to realize these birds are about 3 feet tall and they/re nesting in the tops of the trees. I love these guys.



Here's a close up of one of these good-looking birds. He's in his breeding plumage and looking sharp! Hello, ladies!


The amazing thing was that to get to this viewing area, we climbed down a ladder and then walked along a catwalk that was on top of a huge pipe running along the water and under a bridge. The James River was rushing by underneath us.


After visiting the rookery and one other park in Richmond, we headed back north to go for the first hike of the season (and of my training) in Prince William Forest. This is a huge National Park right off 95 near Quantico. If you haven't been, go. Great hikes, camping, etc. For this first hike, starting slow as promised, Abby and I went on a leisurely paced hike of about 4 and 1/2 miles over the rolling Piedmont of Prince William Forest. By this time, the sun had come out as we wandered along the south fork of Quantico Creek. Just what the doctor ordered!



We saw some beautiful wildflowers, a pool full of hundreds of tadpoles, some early arrival warblers and this interesting site...



The beavers have been hard at work. That tree is coming down soon!

Well, thanks for starting up this adventure again with me. See you next week! Be sure to GET OUT THERE soon...