Discovering Virginia's wildlife

Imagine Northern Virginia before suburban sprawl: Carolina Parakeets and Passenger Pigeons clouded the skies, mountain lions and wolves prowled the woods, and even elk and bison called the area home.

A little slice of this Eden still exists in the marshes of Pohick Bay Regional Park. Yes, it's changed a bit since the days of the bison, but you are still likely to see an ecosystem teeming with life if you take a four-hour guided canoe tour.

On a recent Saturday, a group of about a dozen people arrived just before 8 to enjoy a morning paddle. The morning was clear and crisp, and before the tour even began, a bald eagle glided through the sky.

Rich Bailey, a naturalist for the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, made sure everyone got a quick tutorial on paddling and steering before starting out. Everyone was given a life jacket, and the water is so shallow that if you fall in “all you've got to do is stand up, Bailey said. “Nothing to worry about there.

The marsh boasts a fascinating history both culturally and environmentally. Paleo-Indian artifacts have been found in the area, and, because the water level has risen since the last Ice Age, even older artifacts are believed to be submerged.

At several stops, Bailey pointed out the changing landscape. Thick patches of spatterdock (a kind of aquatic plant with a sunshine yellow bloom) gave way to tall stalks of wild rice and cat tails. Majestic bald cypress trees, a rare sight so far north, line the shores. The vegetation, which also includes submerged hydrilla, helps filter the water, making it crystal clear.

But of course, the real joy is catching a glimpse of the marsh's residents, including graceful blue herons and white egrets, skittish crayfish and small fish that scatter at the sight of the boats. The water and the sky are so teeming with life that it is difficult to decide whether to look up or down.

Four hours of canoeing might sound tiring, but educational pit stops were so frequent that the nearly three-mile trip passed quickly. Toward the end, Bailey allowed everyone to pull their canoes ashore and take a snack break at Fisherman's Point.

The spot overlooks the marsh and has an unusual feature, a quartzite rock with fossil imprints that are hundreds of millions of years old. Bailey used the break to talk about how the landscape has changed into what we see today and to discuss what the future might hold.

While gliding through the tranquil marsh, it was hard to believe that you are about 30 minutes from downtown Washington. This was not lost on those who live nearby, such as Bill Wisniewski, 63, of Alexandria, Va.

“There's a lot of wildlife out here that you just don't think about when you live in an urban setting, Wisniewski said in awe, pausing to take in the view.