Potomac Overlook Regional Park

With Spring really trying to break Old Man Winter's grip, it is time to get back to my park series.  I still did some of this in the winter, but Northern Virginia parks really start to get more interesting come spring.  Sure, some of the animals are harder to see with the leaves out, but then all the birds are singing and colors come out and it just more photographic fun.

So yesterday we finally had a warm day and I headed over to Potomac Overlook Regional Park.  website:  http://www.nvrpa.org/park/potomac_overlook/

This is a spiffy little park on a rise above the Potomac River (duh) with a lot going on.  The nature center should not be missed, unless of course you do NOT wish to see the nice variety of live snakes and turtles within.  Very nicely done, and for those cavers who read this, it actually has a "Kids Cave" downstairs with cave photos and information about bats and caves.  Total surprise.

But just outside, I could hear what I have been waiting to hear, a group of...

Wood frogs! There were a couple small ponds with these guys calling away. Cold-tolerant critters and usually the first frog out.

Click on the video for a short bit to see and hear the frogs

And that wasn't the only sign of Spring.  There were...

Crocuses! Actual flowers and color. This made me very happy indeed.

And I had been told that their was an aviary, and sure enough, there it was.  These three beautiful animals were chilling out on the warm day.

Great horned owl

Barred owl

Red-tailed hawk

They also have a butterfly garden and other things that aren't really useful yet.  But after exploring around most of the park, I decided to walk down Donaldson Run (located just off the property) to the Potomac River.  This trail crosses back and forth over the stream a couple of times, so plan on rock-hopping!

The lower reaches of Donaldson RUn

And before coming to the river, there is a spot that looks like a steep little trail going up.  Well, the "overlook" had to be up, right?  Wrong, I ended up on a deer trail and had to backtrack.  And it was while on this trail that I saw my oddity of the day.  Several trees were painted with designed and a couple even had sayings painted on.  Weird.  But I was out of time for more, so headed out.

Mysterious painted tree along a deer trail