Some Quiet Time

The other day, after nearly a week of bad weather, I was able to get out and get another bike ride in.  I took my camera because there was a stretch of the trail that I wanted to stop and take a closer look at.  I was hoping to be able to take a closer look instead of just riding through like I often do

The area is in the back end of one of the local parks but its not a part of the park that gets much traffic because its tucked way in the back.  The only way to get to it is to walk or ride a bike father than most casual park visitors go.  You canʻt drive to it.  Well, that may not be entirely true. You can drive near it but the way its situated most people arenʻt aware its there. I hadnʻt been until I began riding my bike back into that part of the park.

Thereʻs a small river that flows through the park and the trail goes back and forth, near the river, then away, than back near again.  A "wet land". Lots of water plants.  Its actually a very pretty little stretch of the trail.

So I rode through the park and back along the trails and came to a stop.  It turned out nice, too, because as I stopped I was the only one there.  Thatʻs not an infrequent occurrence, being the only one in sight, but this time it was what I wanted because I wanted to be able to just stop, look and listen.  Birds were all over the place.  Saw lots of red-winged blackbirds.  Theyʻre pretty common around here. Out in the reeds, up in the trees.  There were lots of them

On the river there were other birds as well.  Ducks and geese.  I watched them, trying to get some good pictures

 Í was watching this duck swim back and forth and around on the river.  At one point, just as I was snapping the picture he dived under the water - just in time to not be in the picture.  All I got was a few rings growing out from where heʻd been.  Had to smile at that.

Along with the ducks there were also geese floating around on the river.  You see and hear them over head often enough but I donʻt see them actually swimming on the water all that much. Not up close, anyway.  While they donʻt seem to be able to fly without honking all along the way, they swim quietly.  The other day I came upon a pair of geese standing next to the trail.  I tried to get by them without disturbing them but one of them was pretty excitable and ended up taking off and flying away from me.  That set the other off.  He was behind me at that point but when he saw the one take off and fly away he started honking and took off, flying just a few feet above me, trying to catch up to his friend, honking with every flap of its wings.

 After a while it was time to move on and get headed for home.  But just a little farther down the trail I came across a pair nesting ducks.  Their nest was right on the ground, out in the water a little ways on a clump of reeds and dirt. I thought it was cool so I stopped again and watched them for a few minutes before heading home.

 And, as I went a little farther, there was another goose, standing next to the trail again.

 This time I got passed him without getting him all worked up.  All in all it was a very nice ride. Got to see some nice territory and got plenty of nice pictures. It was a nice time.