Today, the Park Authority has 427 parks on more than 23,000 acres of land. To date, 13 park bond referenda have been approved between 19. The Park Authority was authorized to make decisions concerning land acquisition, park development and operations in Fairfax County, Virginia. HISTORY: On December 6, 1950, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors created the Fairfax County Park Authority. This year, I surveyed birds at six points at Hidden Pond Nature Center and along the Pohick Stream on June 30.
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I have found in conducting these surveys that I have a three-minute attention span, because I invariably look at my watch after three minutes. Go outside, be quiet, and see how many birds, butterflies or frogs or whatever you choose you can count in five minutes. Taking part in the survey is also a good exercise in attention span. Is it probable that some birds are missed by this method? Yes, but it nevertheless provides a good snapshot of what’s around. The yearly June survey identifies the breeding birds in our area. Surveyors stand for five minutes at specific points located 250 meters apart. The annual Northern Virginia Bird Survey, hosted for 18 years by the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, employs this method for counting all the birds that can be heard or seen. Staying put also is one way to survey wildlife.
![hidden in silence hidden in silence](https://streaming-engine-assets.rftslb.com/posters/image/image/1482193/main_main.jpg)
You learn that good things come to those who wait. You might relax on a park bench and notice a frog flip into a pond, or pause during a walk (I like to schedule my pauses for the uphill sections) to quietly let a deer browse ever closer. Sometimes the easiest way to observe nature is to stay put and let nature come to you.