Washington Park Heron

A heron looking for a late lunch of fresh fish in Washington Park.

Bridge Work

Repairs are being made to the iron bridge across the lake in Washington Park.

A Boat In The Park

A post-iced coffee walk around Washington Park this afternoon (to visit the turtles) led to an unusual sight; a boat slowly cruising up and down the lake.  It appeared the boat's two-man crew was testing the depth of the lake.

A Shimmering Bird

A bird shows off luminous plumage along the lake in Washington Park.

The King of Washington Park Lake

Now that Spring is finally here, I've been taking walks around the Washington Park Lake to watch for turtles.  I'm rather fond of them and, so far, I've found quite a few of them sunning themselves on the matted remnants of last year's cattails.  Most of the turtles I've spotted this year are fairly small - not much bigger than my hand.  And then there is this handsome old creature; I've nicknamed it The King of Washington Park Lake.

Last August, I was standing a few inches from the edge of the water near the northeast edge of the Lake.  I was looking out over the water at nothing in particular when I got the feeling that I was being watched.  I looked down and there, not even a half foot from me, was a giant turtle.  I'm talking about a shell nearly as big as a Fiat tire.  It was floating there with its head just above the water, staring right at me.

I nearly had a heart attack and, of course, I didn't have a camera with me.

Since then, I've managed to catch sight of this huge turtle a few times.  Once, while trying to take a picture some dragonflies, it slowly swam out from behind some vegetation to watch me for a few minutes before diving away.  But I haven't been able to get a good photo of it...just some blurry shots of it floating out near the middle of the Lake.

Until yesterday morning when I spotted its peering from the matted cattails where a dozen or so smaller turtles were basking.  Such an awesome, ancient-looking face.

After The Rain

A manhole cover alongside the Washington Park lake lies open after the Tuesday storm that flooded intersections and left the lake path a mess.  I could hear the furious rush of water deep inside this culvert.

Hello Turtle

The first turtle sighting of the year in Washington Park.

Leaves and Bloom

Autumn leaves float amid a blue-green algae bloom in Washington Park Lake. 

The presence of the algae bloom in the lake (and in Buckingham Pond) was mentioned in the news yesterday and large, neon yellow signs have been posted to warn visitors about potential health risks from contact with the "pond scum." 

Despite the warnings, I watched a man stroll past said signs and toss a tennis ball out into the water for his dog to fetch while a woman let two small children play at filling cups with gravel and water at the shallow par near the Lake House. 

Odd Duck

Someone placed a wooden duck (possibly a decorative planter) on the board covering the drain at the eastern end of Washington Park Lake.  Perhaps it was a nod to the many ducks that make the lake home.  Unfortunately, a few minutes after this picture was taken, a boy used his fishing pole to retrieve this duck from the board...only to pitch it into the lake.  It was last seen floating forlornly on its side.

Pond Pals

A duck and a turtle keep company on a sunny morning in Washington Park.

The Root Ladder

The roots embedded in a hillside along the Washington Park Lake give the appearance of a rustic ladder.  I won't try to climb it, though, one dislocated knee is enough!

Park Lake Additions

These twin fountains appeared rather suddenly in Washington Park Lake some time during the past week or.  I walk through the park at least four or five times a week; one day there were no fountains and, the next day, there they were.

Sunbathing Turtle

A small turtle enjoys a warm day in Washington Park.

Wood Duck

A handsome (and slightly wary) wood duck saunters along the edge of Washington Park lake.  Mallards and Canadian geese are more common here and this is the first wood duck I've spotted in the park.

Cold Cattails

A pair of cattails alongside the frozen lake in Washington Park.

A Turtle In The Sun

A turtle sunning itself on a bit of debris near the outlet of Washington Park Lake. There were at least two other turtles visible just before I took this photo, but they vanished as soon as they heard me. This one stayed quite a bit longer, cautiously watching as I rummaged in my backpack for my camera and carefully poked the lens through the fence.

Some time ago, I rescued a baby turtle that had stranded itself on the ledge of the dry Moses fountain nearby by picking it up and carrying it over to the edge of the lake. I always look for turtles when I walk along the lake and wonder how mine fared.

You've Be Warned

A sign along the edge of the Washington Park Lake on Sunday advises would-be skaters to use venture onto the ice at their own risk.

Sunny Side Up!

These flowers along the western edge of Washington Park Lake bear a definite resemblance to fried eggs. All that's missing is some buttered toast and ham.

Almost Spring Thaw

For the past week or so, we've had wonderfully spring-like weather with bright sun and temperatures in the mid-40s to mid-50s. And the rapidly melting ice on the lake in Washington Park revealed a Christmasy relic...a sign from the Holiday Lights In The Park.