Something about Great Falls that I cannot show to my out-of-town guests.
There is something about this place called Great Falls that I would like to show my out-of-town guests but it would be virtually impossible unless they are willing to make a commitment to live here for a number of years. As a long-time resident I have grown so familiar with the seasonal rhythms of the area, that they have become a part of me. It is these rhythms that remind me every day, not of a date on the calendar, but of a seasonal period in which I know what nature is doing and what I can expect to follow. These rhythms also move me to go out with my camera to capture the ever-changing landscapes of the Great Falls area.
Reflections of the Changing Colors of Fall: When the Potomac is flowing smoothly it provides a near perfect mirror for the ever-changing colors of fall foliage along the banks.
WE HAVE ALL LEARNED that when “fall” arrives people will return from their summer vacations, the schools will reopen and the traffic will resume its nasty snarl. But on another level I have learned that the Potomac will slowly begin to recover to its more normal water levels as the fall rains arrive and the occasional storm or hurricane moves through.
I also know that the river can take on an almost cappuccino-like color immediately after a storm, but it will slowly return to its more mirror-like black-green color, which reflects the changing colors of fall along its banks. The dogwoods will change colors early with the other trees soon to follow. The deer will start to move around more in anticipation of mating season and that herds will begin to form and move through the area. Some of our birds will migrate south, and others will stop to rest or take up winter residence on the river from more northern climates.
Cell-like Ice Formations in the Potomac: This type of ice formation forms during an early cold snap and it is remarkable how the form is developed. The reed sticking up out of the water into the cold air allows ice to form around the area of the reed at the surface. Since the water is constantly moving the edges of the ice are rounded resulting in a form that appears almost cell-like.
IN “WINTER” with daylight getting shorter and temperatures dropping the Potomac will begin to freeze. I know that the ice formations can take on many forms from simple cell-like formations around reeds that extend into the air from the bottom of the river to artful powdered sugar-like formations over the falls. As the river freeze extends into the winter the ice forms along the banks and forces the birds to congregate in the center of the river, which does not freeze completely.
Unfortunately for me this phenomenon moves the birds further away from my camera lens. Since the foliage and grasses have disappeared, the deer, fox and other animals will range further from their comfort zones in search of food and at certain times of the day I can expect to see specific types of animals on the move in the area searching for food.
Their rhythms can practically be programmed into my calendar and clock. The birds too will need to work harder just to survive and are quite willing to accept offerings from every back yard feeder they can locate.
IN “SPRING” the Potomac will take on a much more threatening and dangerous flow as melting snow and spring rains drive the river deeper and faster. I have learned that the water will also take on a beautiful greenish white color as it has been enriched with oxygen on its swift trip down to the Chesapeake. The birds will return as they seem to know that the table has been set for them across the area. The herons, the cormorants and others seek out the fish that are running in the highly enriched water.
Spring Fishing for a Great Blue Heron: This image was taken in spring at the base of the falls. The great blue herons arrive in droves to enjoy the feast and sometimes they seem to get more fish than they can handle. The bird hit this fish then dropped it and the fish got away.
I know that in May and June I can expect to find a dozen or more great blue herons jockeying for position around the base of the falls as they seek out the best fishing spots. I can watch cormorants diving and bringing up fish several yards away as they toss their catch up into the air to ensure they swallow them head first. Young animals will be born and I can expect to see them hugging their mothers’ sides as they move from one area to another or as they bed down in deep grasses. I have learned to expect to see young birds being fed by their parents and as they stagger into the air until they become accomplished flyers.
IN “SUMMER” I have come to expect the flows of water in the Potomac to subside and even dry up in places. Islands, previously unreachable on foot, will become accessible so I can extend my walks along the banks. As the water slows down it takes on a darker color and as the foliage along the banks thickens it blocks out the sun as well as the views along the banks. The animals grow quickly and they too begin to disappear as the foliage allows them to hide and the heat begins to slow down their movements. But I know that the views along the river will return as the seasonal rhythm begins to repeat itself and the leaves fall again.
After living in Great Falls for many years and coming to appreciate these seasonal rhythms of the place I call home, I realize they have become a part of me. It is this that I wish I had some way to show my out-of-town visitors. I guess they will just have to either listen to my stories and look at my photographs or they could move here and experience it for themselves.
