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Great Falls Park VA

@greatfallsparkvanps

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Sunday, April 6, 2025 Bird Walk had a wonderful 24 participants who identified 49! species. We had 7 new folks who were treated to eagles, hawks, owls and warblers. Migrating in we had Palm, Pine Warblers and Louisiana Waterthrush. We saw nesting/mating activity with Blue-Gray Gnat Catchers and Carolina Chickadees. Our Bird Walk is a great way to get introduced to the wonders of the natural world, join us Sunday Morning at 8:00 am in the Main Parking Lot and walk along!!!

See the full count here: https://www.nps.gov/grfa/learn/nature/birds.htm

Photographs:
A small black capped bird sits on a tree twig, captioned Carolina Chickadee copyright Janis Stone.
A small yellowish/cream bird is perched on a small twig with small greenish/yellow leaves in the background, captioned Pine Warbler copyright Janis Stone.
A small bird with a bright yellow belly and light brown wings and long beak sits on a small tree twig, captioned Palm Warbler copyright Seth Honig. A small black capped bird sits on a tree twig, captioned Carolina Chickadee copyright Janis Stone. by @greatfallsparkvanps

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a year ago

Sunday, March 23, 2025 Bird Walk was a great morning for our 19 participants including 4 new commers, one from Switzerland! We identified 40 species. It was good upstream and downstream. There was a noticeable up-tick in Great Blue activity flying about the park and rookery. The group tried hard to turn a White-
Throated sparrow into a Savannah but no luck. Maybe next week, join us, won't you!

Meet in the main parking lot at 8:00 AM and count along.

Photograph:
A large mostly gray bird with black tips along its wings, which are spread out, flies above a grayish green water surface. Captioned Great Blue Heron copyright Janis Stone. A large mostly gray bird with black tips along its wings, which are spread out, flies above a grayish green water surface. Captioned Great Blue Heron copyright Janis Stone. by @greatfallsparkvanps

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2 years ago

by @greatfallsparkvanps

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2 years ago

Sunday, March 16, 2025 Bird Walk was welcomingly warm (at last)! This morning's 17 participants enjoyed watching the Tree swallows flying over the river and we saw one of the Eagles on the nest and the other flying nearby. This is a good sign, and we keep hoping for a successful nest this year. The oddity this morning was finding 8 Wood ducks and appreciated each one!
Join us Sunday, March 23 at 8:00 am in the main parking lot and help us see what we may see...

The full count is posted here: https://www.nps.gov/grfa/learn/nature/birds.htm

Photograph:
A pair of wood ducks swim in calm water. Captioned Wood Ducks copyright Janis Stone. A pair of wood ducks swim in calm water. Captioned Wood Ducks copyright Janis Stone. by @greatfallsparkvanps

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2 years ago

Sunday, March 9, 2025 after our clocks sprung forward overnight, our 13 participants met promptly for today's bird walk and counted 39 species, took a brief warm up break in the Visitor Center, and enjoyed the chilly but bright morning out together. Highlights for this morning included seeing some increased activity over in the rookery, a pair of Red-Shouldered Hawks looking interested in one another, and the White-throated Sparrows are back, we counted 20.

See the full count here: https://www.nps.gov/grfa/learn/nature/birds.htm

Join us next Sunday, March 16, 2025 in the main parking lot at 8:00 am and walk along.

Photographs:
A small bird with its feathers puffed up, a light grayish cream belly and brown wings with a bright yellow streak from the top of its beak to above its eyes, sits perched on a tree twig, captioned White-throated Sparrow copyright Janis Stone.
A large bird stands erect on a tree branch with a tangle of brown branches in the background, the bird is looking to the right, captioned Red-shouldered Hawk copyright Seth Honig.
A large bird stands erect on a tree branch with a tangle of brown branches in the background, the bird is looking to the left, captioned Red-shouldered Hawk copyright Janis Stone. A small bird with its feathers puffed up, a light grayish cream belly and brown wings with a bright yellow streak from the top of its beak to above its eyes, sits perched on a tree twig, captioned White-throated Sparrow copyright Janis Stone. by @greatfallsparkvanps

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2 years ago

Sunday, March 2, 2025 Bird Walk was joined by fourteen of us hardy souls on a bright chilly morning to net a well-rounded list with several duck and woodpecker species. The Great Blue Herons are around, but oddly, nary a white-throated sparrow...

See the full count here: https://www.nps.gov/grfa/learn/nature/birds.htm

We also had two additional contacts whose dogs were off leash. Just a reminder that dogs must be on leash at all times in all locations of Great Falls Park. One of the off-leash dogs encountered this morning was somewhat contrite. Be responsible pet owners and please remember some people are afraid of dogs, even friendly dogs can be unsettling to people trying to enjoy a walk when they run up to someone unleashed.

Join us Sunday, March 9 at 8:00 am in the Main Parking Lot and help us spot those White-throated Sparrows, we know they are out there!

Photograph: A view through several winter bare trees along the bank of the mostly calm, gray waters of the Potomac River and a large bird standing on a horizontal branch, with winter bare trees in the background. Captioned Great Blue Heron copyright Maurice Fliess. A view through several winter bare trees along the bank of the mostly calm, gray waters of the Potomac River and a large bird standing on a horizontal branch, with winter bare trees in the background. Captioned Great Blue Heron copyright Maurice Fliess. by @greatfallsparkvanps

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2 years ago

This past Sunday, 2/16/25 Bird Walk and Count was a great day for duck (boots) after all. Thanks to our dedicated and bundled up participants splashed through the trail puddles and counted 27 species and to Bird Counter Anne Bielamowicz for sharing the photo of their morning. (The park can still be fun in the rain!)

Join us this Sunday, the weather should be much better, at 8:00 in the Main Parking lot for the fun.
See the full count here: https://www.nps.gov/grfa/learn/nature/birds.htm

Photo:
A mostly gray duck with a red bill and redish/brown head swims in brown water. Captioned Common Merganser copyright Seth Honig

Six people, bird watchers, wearing raincoats, holding binoculars or cameras, and three with umbrellas standing on a rain-soaked trail in a winter bare wooded area. Captioned Great Falls Park Sunday Bird Walking in the rain copyright Anne Bielamowicz. A mostly gray duck with a red bill and redish/brown head swims in brown water. Captioned Common Merganser copyright Seth Honig by @greatfallsparkvanps

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2 years ago

Sunday Feb. 9, 2025 Bird Walk yielded 30 species with a nice variety for the winter's morning. Check out the full count here: https://www.nps.gov/grfa/learn/nature/birds.htm

Join us Sunday Feb. 16 at 8:00 am in the main parking lot and walk along and count with us. It looks to be a good morning for ducks based on the forecasted rain, wear your duck boots, but the temps will be warming slightly as the walk progresses.

Photograph:
A black and white duck in calm light brown water stares directly at the camera. Captioned Ring-necked Ring-necked Duck copyright Seth Honig. A black and white duck in calm light brown water stares directly at the camera. Captioned Ring-necked Ring-necked Duck copyright Seth Honig. by @greatfallsparkvanps

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2 years ago

For Love
Matilda Ludwell Lee
1764 - 1790
Matilda Lee was the daughter of Elizabeth Ashton Steptoe Lee and Philip Ludwell Lee of Stratford Hall. She inherited Stratford Hall being the eldest of three children; a surviving sister and a brother who died young. When she was 19 years old, she greeted her second cousin, the dashing and decorated “Lighthorse” Harry Lee while he was on a visit to the estate. He was unprepared for the tall, brown-haired beauty that greeted him. Her beauty was so renowned that she was referred to as Divine Matilda. It seems he fell madly in love with her.

The feeling of love was mutual and one month later, they were married in March 1782. Matilda Lee accompanied her husband when he went to Congress as Virginia’s representative. According to all accounts, they were very happy together. They had four children, two of which survived into adulthood. Unfortunately, Matilda Lee was stricken with ill health. In 1790, the 26-year-old died in her sleep.

Harry Lee was devasted by her death. 1790 was the same year he embarked on a real-estate adventure recommended to him by his friend George Washington. Lighthorse Harry Lee planned to create an industrial town adjacent to the Patowmack Canal at Great Falls that would support trade to the western lands of the newly formed country. He needed to name the town. Still grieving his beloved, Divine Matilda, he named the town in her honor. It was for love that Matildaville was named.

Happy Valentine’s Day
#LoveYourParks

https://www.nps.gov/grfa/learn/historyculture/matildaville.htm

Photograph:
A tall plant stem with a crown of elongated small purple flower blooms and a variety of green plant leaves in the background. Captioned, Purple Fringeless Orchid (Platanthera peramoena) copyright Janis Stone. A tall plant stem with a crown of elongated small purple flower blooms and a variety of green plant leaves in the background. Captioned, Purple Fringeless Orchid (Platanthera peramoena) copyright Janis Stone. by @greatfallsparkvanps

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2 years ago

Yes, Virginia (side) the water is flowing at Great Falls Park:
Update:
Feb. 13, 2025 the repairs to the formerly frozen pipes are completed and the public restrooms are reopened. Photograph shows a large rocky waterfall in the center with tall rocky cliffs on both sides and tall rocks in the center sections of the water. by @greatfallsparkvanps

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2 years ago

Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 Great Falls Park open today.
It is a mystical day in the park this morning, light rain falling and with the snow on the ground, a wonderful fog throughout the landscape. Just a reminder, trails are not treated nor cleared, dress for the weather, wear appropriate footwear. Trails are wet, snowy, muddy, sloshy, slippery, how many more words to describe...
Traction grips on your hiking boots highly recommended.
Park closed at dark, last entry 5:30 pm.

Photograph:
A snowy, foggy picnic area amongst several tall trees with picnic tables and a grill snow covered. A snowy, foggy picnic area amongst several tall trees with picnic tables and a grill snow covered. by @greatfallsparkvanps

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2 years ago

Tuesday 2/11/25: Great Falls Park Closed at 1:00 PM, no entry after 12:00 pm.

Due to the Winter Storm Warning in effect, Great Falls Park is closed to the public beginning at 1:00 pm Tuesday, 2/11/25 and will remain closed until further notice is posted. Last time of entry for 2/11 is Noon. Visitors must exit by 1:00 pm.
Thank you, stay safe and know the animals will enjoy the park to themselves during this. We will post an update when we reopen to the public.

Photograph:
A small mostly gray bird with a white belly sits on a snow-covered ground with small flakes of snow stuck to its beak. Captioned Dark-eyed Junco copyright Janis Stone. A small mostly gray bird with a white belly sits on a snow-covered ground with small flakes of snow stuck to its beak. Captioned Dark-eyed Junco copyright Janis Stone. by @greatfallsparkvanps

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2 years ago