Caledon State Park, King George VA

On our way to the river place to do continued repairs and upkeep, we decided to stop at Caledon State Park just off of route 301 in King George, VA. We had packed our lunch and ate it in the car while observing Eastern Bluebirds using one of several nesting boxes in and on the edge of the grassy field. Caledon is an over 2500 acre park on the Potomac River shore. In 1659 it was established as Caledon Plantation owned by the Alexander brothers who founded Alexandria VA. In 1974 the land was owned by the commonwealth. There are lots of trails there and one of the main attractions is the old growth tulip poplar trees.

We took a half mile trail (the Smoot Trail) through the forest with song of spring birds all around us. Summer Tanager, Ovenbird, Wood Thrush, Northern Parula, Red-eyed Vireo and Yellow-throated Vireo.

We saw two of these vireos gleaning insects from young tulip poplars. They are considered long-distance migrants, spending winters in Central America, the Caribbean, and Cuba. It's possible that they could breed in Celadon State Park.

The Smoot Trail is a wonderful wooden trail with a  nice bridge down on the gully of fallen trees, moss, ferns and young trees.

After Smoot Trail we walked around the grounds of the house which is now park headquarters before heading back to the car. A Chipping Sparrow was pulling little grubs from the grass. Here it is with a particularly juicy one.

We left this lunch time respite where social distance was very easy to do and continued on to our second home in the Northern Neck.