Mason Neck National Wildlife Refuge was created to protect
essential bald eagle nesting, feeding, and roosting habitats
along the Potomac River. Along with active eagle nesting, the
refuge hosts a rookery with more than 1200 nests for great blue
herons. The 2276-acre refuge, in the Mason Neck State Park,
contains about 2000 acres of hardwood forest, the largest
freshwater marsh in Northern Virginia, and nearly six miles of
shoreline.Visitors can view the refuge along two trails, one
through woods and one in Great Marsh. In the spring, wildflowers
fill the woods as songbirds migrate through the area and various
types of ducks feed along the creeks and marsh. In the summer
and fall, birds such as egrets and herons dominate the marshes
before many of them travel south for the winter.From November to
February, bald eagles breed and lay eggs. Last Updated:
7/24/2008 1:02 PM