Too Cold to Swim

If you are looking for something fun to do to burn off those holiday pounds, why not use the new pathway to George Pierce Park to observe some of Gwinnett County's diverse winter wildlife? In addition to the deer, raccoons, squirrels, and beavers that roam our backyards, Ruby Forest and the park below it are home to over 70 species of birds this time of year. On any given day, you can find a group of colorful Hooded Mergansers diving in Ruby Lake or a giant Great Blue Heron stalking the shallows along Ivy Creek. The 2.5 mile Ivy Creek Greenway that now runs from our lower tennis courts to Lawrenceville Suwanee road is sparsely populated this time of year - by humans at least. The animals never take a day off! So bundle up, grab a pair of binoculars, and start walking. Use this handy link from ebird.org for a list of common birds who visit our area in January.