An Early Morning Walk in Anson B Nixon Park In Kennett Square
Last Saturday I awoke early at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kennett Square. The earliest ticket for admission to Longwood Gardens I could obtain was 10:30 a.m. So I searched Google for local hiking trails and found some nice trails at nearby Anson B. Nixon Park. The park was only two miles from my hotel and, after a cup of coffee I was on my way. 
It was mostly sunny, warm and humid when I arrived at the 106 acre park. I was surprised, because of the corona virus, to find the park crowded with walkers, runners and folks walking their dogs. Most were wearing, or carrying mask and practicing social distancing. 
I parked my car and followed a trail to a small reservoir.
The trail circled the reservoir. 
but I took a side trail that took me to the Red Clay Creek. The woodlands surrounding the creek included large beech trees. 
A few of them have recently been uprooted and the red soil exposed by roots of the tree is probably how the creek got its name. 
The trail continued to an even larger grove of beech trees where I found this interesting plaque.
One of the threes was over 300 years old. Amazing to think William Penn could have walked these woods and rested near this tree. 
There were a number of these ancient beech in this famous grove. It was a pleasant surprise from my walk in Anson B Nixon park. 
The trailed looped back to the Red Clay Creek and I followed it finding, for the first time, this flower. My PictureThis plant identification app informed me it was a wild leek or ramp flower. I have heard of these wild onion like plants. Many people gather them in early Spring. 
So far on my hike there was little wildlife until I finally heard,
and saw this catbird singing along the trail. 
The trail led me to a baseball field and then crossed the Red Clay creek and took me back to the reservoir. 
Here I saw a few birds, including this mother robin flying off after feeding her offspring. 
I walked around the reservoir one more time, seeing some dragonflies, 
a mallard duck, and
a flock of Canada geese along he shores of the water. 
I also found this mushroom 
and swamp milkweed on my walk
.
The park was even more crowded now. I nice place to spend a sunny Saturday morning.
I would have liked to continue to explore the park, however, it was near 9 a.m. and I wanted to grab some breakfast and check out of my hotel by 10;30 a.m. so I could be on time for my admission to Longwood Gardens. I was looking forward to my visit and hoping Sprout, the corpse plant would bloom while I was there,. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photographs from my hike in the Anson B Nixon Park. Kennett Square morning hike July 11 2020. 
“Parks and playgrounds are the soul of a city.”
―
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