January 20, 2013

(Click Photos to Enlarge) Very odd, I think. This morning I saw a couple of bluebirds "house hunting" on the Riverwalk trail near Dan Daniel Park. The male was sitting on top of the house and the female was perched on the outside of the entrance, looking in. I haven't seen this activity often, but noticed it several times over the past few weeks, but each of the other times involved a male bluebird sitting on top of the house. I watched some chickadees playing around in the trees and a few downy woodpeckers eating berries in the same trees. The flood waters are receding, and the water fowl are now back on the river in larger numbers. Though the river is still swift, the ducks and geese are hugging the shore and I saw several flocks of Canada geese flying over (a beautiful sight). It was a good day on the Riverwalk trail.

January 19, 2013

(Click Photos to Enlarge) The woods along the Riverwalk Trail seemed full of woodpeckers this morning. I could hear the tap-tap-tap as they searched for bugs, but most interesting was their hanging up-side-down as they ate white berries from the trees. The small red stripe of the downy woodpeckers made them stand out against the dark wood of the trees. As we drove into Dan Daniel park, I saw a couple of young deer munching the grass near the road, and I stopped to take their pictures. They occasionally looked up, but didn't seem to shy at all.

I also saw the two ladies who enjoy feeding the ducks and geese on the trail. They are concerned that the city may enact a law to make it illegal to feed the ducks and geese. I have mixed feelings, but I tend to side with the ladies. The bread they feed may not be the healthiest food for the birds, but the ladies do enjoy feeding the birds, and it is the reason they enjoy getting up each day to walk the 2-3 miles along the trail. I also see families bringing loaves of bread to give their children for feeding the ducks and geese. It give the children a close-up and personal experience with nature.

The major complaint from those who walk on the trail is that the bread causes the geese to leave more dropping on the trail. In all the years I have walked down there, I have never found that to be a problem, and besides, when we go on the trail, we are in their home, and wildlife leave their droppings where ever they may be. May biggest concern is not the wildlife along the river, but speeding bikers who come up behind me without warning. But that's for another day. Overall, it was a very good day on the Riverwalk trail.