The reservoir may be icy and there’s snow on the golf course, but Lake Ridge Park has plenty happening this winter. 

In the past, with the boat rentals and golf halted for the winter, Lake Ridge had only the marina, where avid canoers and kayakers drop in their own boats all season long. This winter, though, Lake Ridge is offering a variety of courses aimed at getting local residents to appreciate nature in the off season.

Park Manager Jane England is trying to get families and kids to respect the stark beauty of winter by offering seasonal-themed science, craft and nature courses.

“You see all the leaves coming down, and you think there’s no wildlife,” says England. “But if you sit there and watch, you’ll see the cardinals and the bluejays and the footprints of deer.”    Lake Ridge teems with fox and deer during the winter. Also, many birds, such as geese and cormorants, call the Occoquan Reservoir home year-round.

In one new class, “Flight of Wonders,” participants learn about those different birds and how to attract them to their yards. Instructors give tips on which food to put out and how to choose a feeder that birds like (and squirrels don’t).  

Many other of Lake Ridge’s new nature classes are aimed at kids. For example, in “Nature Track Detectives,” children ages 4 to 7 accompany the park’s nature guides on educational walks around the park. The kids look for animals and learn to indentify tracks in the mud or snow.

See Lake Ridge Park’s webpage or call 703-494-5464 for registration and more information about the classes. The “Nature Track Detectives” course is Dec. 27 and Jan. 12.  The “Flights of Wonder” class offered on Sat. January 16^th and costs $5.