The DC area is a great place to photograph nature. Despite the urban sprawl, there are a number of special places that provide great natural settings along with wildlife.  You can catch a sunrise coming up at Great Falls park with the waters of the Potomac River rushing at you and then head over to Huntley Meadows park to see a White-tailed doe taking care of a fawn.

On just about any summer day, you can see Barn Swallows frantically flying around the wetlands at Huntley Meadows in search of an insect meal. Occasionally they stop to rest and if you are lucky enough to be near a branch where they perch, you can spend some time taking a good look at these interesting birds.  The wetlands also provide good hunting for Great Blue Herons, like the one below which had just landed some breakfast.

Hundreds of dragonflies are also out around the wetlands this time of year and while egrets do hunt and eat dragonflies, the Great Egret pictured below, appeared uninterested in the insects doing fly-bys around its head.