Thursday, MAY 7th OUTing
Join Elements and Betsy Lovejoy for a sunrise guided walk and birding adventure along the Potomac River. We will lead you on a hike through loops A and B of the Billy Goat Trail so that we can enjoy both a good workout and the spring neotropical migrants that flock to the towpath habitat during their journey north. We will be listening for birdsong as we hike and pause long enough to catch sight of these vibrantly colored birds. Betsy will also give some advice along the way as to how to begin to identify birds using certain characteristics. After spending time exercising in the woods with a pair of binoculars you will never go on a trail run or hike again without feeling a deeper awareness, connection and gratitude for nature and all it has to offer.
Betsy’s interest in birds came later in life - after years of running trails and a life-long passion for conservation. Betsy has never officially studied ornithology, but the hours she spends running in Rock Creek Park and connecting with nature were the perfect introduction to train herself how to identify birds by both sight and sound. All it took was one Myrtle Yellow-rumped Warbler and she was hooked.
Hopefully everyone will come away with their "first bird" that forever hooks them into a lifetime of birding.
Please meet at 6:15am at the the parking lot directly catty corner from the Old Anglers Inn on Macarthur Blvd.
Mileage; 4-6 miles of rooty and rocky paths.
Dress for the weather. We suggest you bring a pair of binoculars (but don’t worry if you don’t have any) and water. Elements will provide mid walk tea and snack, bug spray and sun block.
an effort to comply with the CDC’s best practices re the spread of the novel Corona virus, we will:
limit number of walkers
maintain a distance from one another of at least 6’
Elements will no longer be able to provide walking poles, sunblock or bug spray.
BYO: Water, sunblock, bug spray, snack and walking poles (if desired)
Led by Margaret Rietano and specialist, Betsy Lovejoy