Playing Hooky Again. A Short Afternoon Hike At Our Local Community Park.

As I have often said here on my blog, you don’t have to go far to see the beauty of nature. You can find it in your own backyard if you keep your eyes peeled. It was hot and sunny Friday afternoon. I decided to leave the office early again and hike out nearby  Community Park. 

Located about two miles from my home ,  I have visited  Community Park since I was a child.  When I arrived billowing cumulus clouds began to develop in the southeastern sky.  Thunderstorms were in the forecast.  

I wasn’t going to rush my hike. I wanted to observe, and share, the wildflowers, plants and wildlife growing around scenic Lake Irena and the surrounding woods. I first noticed the lush growth of lance-leaf pickerel  along the shores of the lake. 

Some of it was starting to produce beautiful blue flowers. 

The leaves of this plant are a favorite resting spot for dragonflies,

and the more delicate damselflies.

I continued my walk along the trail around the lake. Frogs were jumping in ahead of me, eluding my attempts to get a photograph. The wildflowers didn’t move so I was able to photograph this meadow rue, 

this delicate bladderwort and this 

St’ John’s wort. i am able to identify these plants because of my new iPhone app. I am not sure if it is always accurate so please feel free to correct a mis-identification. 

The high  bush blueberries or ‘swampers ‘ are ripe now and I enjoyed a few that I  found. 

The trail took me to some rocks where I saw this juvenile cormorant enjoying the late afternoon sun. 

The skies to south darkened and the rumble of thunder could be heard in the distance. However, it appeared the storm would stay to the south of the Community Park.

When I came to the creek that feeds the lake I found that  beavers have recently  constructed a dam, creating  a new wetland behind it. 

I was finally able to find a frog that would sit still long enough for a photograph. 

Just as I was completing my lap around the lake I saw a family of Canada geese swimming along the shore. 

All of a sudden on of the goslings became excited and started splashing in the water. I could tell it  was frightened. It seemed to being pulled by something.

The parents and siblings came honking to her rescue. I assumed it may have been attacked by a snapping turtle. After some splashing and a lot of honking it freed itself and the entire family swam to the middle of the lake.

It was only when I got home that I saw the gosling had become ensnared in a discarded fishing line. I am sure the poor bird didn’t understand what was happening and feared it was a snapping turtle. These large turtles are common here and do take young goslings. It is why the entire family came to her rescue. Well all was well that ended well. 

I continued my walk through the woodlands surrounding the park. 

Here I found a few mushrooms growing in the shade of the trees. 

The trail led to the baseball fields and continued on an abandoned road.

I followed the road hoping to see some wildlife. Once again I was disappointed. I did see some more wildflowers including  a species of small daisies, and

dogbane. 

I also found the leaves of a plant that would have produced a beautiful flower in late April or May a trillium. 

On my return walk I listed to the rumbling thunder from the storm that was raging to the south. I am glad it missed us. It let me explore the areas in our Community Park. There were no exciting observations like snakes, bears or eagles. However,  I was still impressed  with the beauty of the mundane things in nature I found on this short three mile hike. And I enjoy sharing them with my friends on my blog and social media. Here is a link to some more photographs from my hike. Community park hike June 28 2019. 

By discovering nature, you discover yourself. Maxime Lagacé