Anacostia River Trip

Saturday, April 12: The Anacostia Watershed Society led 21 Capitol Hill members on an environmental cruise down the Anacostia River from Bladensburg, MD to the CSX railroad bridge below East Capitol Street and back to Bladensburg. Due in part to recent rains sweeping street trash into the river, the Anacostia was as trashy as many had ever seen it. On the good side, we spied an American bald eagle, many osprey and a handful of great blue herons along the way. [Click on photos for larger views.]

The Anacostia at Bladensburg:









Osprey near Bladensburg Waterfront Park:
Our guide Kamweti Mutu greats the passengers:










The members on board:


















Heading down the Anacostia:
Many great blue heron along the way:


















The first bridge is New York Avenue; "resident" Canadian Geese on the DC seawall:









The United States National Arboretum: the river observation post, camellias, the floating dock to the river entrance and a view of Asian Valley.


















Spring blooms along the river and the river entrance to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens:

A power plant is the first urban view, then golfers at Langston Legacy Golf Course on Kingman Island:

Turtles and trash; ducks and trash:









A mallard duck on the water and a kayaker:












The greening of spring:









The Metro and Benning Road bridges; osprey in a tree:









Under the East Capitol Street bridges and view of RFK Stadium:









The American bald eagle:
The CSX railroad bridge and cormorants:









There was occasional rain:









Great blue heron in flight:
Return to Bladensburg; AWS development director Pat Gladding (in pink cap at right) saying au revoir: