Herdon Monroe Wetland Preserve
Virginia is a funny place. If there aren’t buildings, there are trees. And sometimes behind those trees and buildings there are ponds, creeks, etc. Things you’d never see until you venture into the forest. The Herndon Monroe Wetland Preserve is one of those places. It’s behind a row of trees near some apartment buildings and an office park. It’s quite small, consisting of one small pond and a bridge that crosses over it. Not a lot to write home about at first glance, but I was surprised at the amount of wildlife in one small place. I saw red winged blackbirds, Canada geese, a sandpiper, a snapping turtle, and more painted turtles than I could count. My favorite creature, though, was a great egret that was catching lunch. I was there for at least an hour, and he or she didn’t care at all that I was there. Any day I get to see a heron is a good day.
Great Egret catching and eating fish
Sandpiper standing on fallen branch
Snapping turtle swimming in pond
Four painted turtles on log