Obligatory Tulip Photo

It's finally spring and, in Albany, that means a lot of tulips.  While the Tulip Festival is still a few weeks away, lots of early varieties are coming up in Washington Park.  Of course, a lot of people are out taking plenty of photos in what's definitely a local rite of spring.

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 Hint of Pink

Hints of deep pink accent a white peony 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.

They're Coming

The first of this year's tulips are beginning to bloom after a long, snowy winter and what seems like a very slow spring.

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.

Fresh Air

Maybe the fresh air wasn't quite fresh enough for the person who placed these car air fresheners on a shrub in Washington Park.

Hello Turtle

The first turtle sighting of the year in Washington Park.

Tulips 2014

The Tulip Festival was last weekend, but there's still quite a few lovely tulips to be seen in Washington Park this weekend.  Despite a rough winter and a rather late start to spring, the flowers look quite pretty.

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. 

Autumn Twilight

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!

Calgary Tulips

The tulips in Washington Park are a bit past their prime now and they'll be dug up for the bulbs in a day or so.  But here's a last look at one of my favorites from this season, a frothy white variety called Calgary.

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.

Tulip Mania

The annual Tulip Festival will be held in Washington Park this year and the flowers are in full bloom for it.  The tulips are some of the prettiest I've seen and absolutely worth checking out (though tomorrow's weather might not be as great as today's and yesterday's).  This beautiful bloom reminds me of fresh lemonade.

Peek-A-Boo Squirrel

A squirrel peers from a tree in Washington Park.