My new favorite park…

I don’t know why it took me so long to go to John Chestnut Park.  I had seen that my photo group have taken photo walks to that park frequently, but for one reason or another I hadn’t been able to join them.  Until today, when I decided that it was high time I made a visit.  As I got out of the car I saw another photographer with his big tripod and camouflage covered lens, which he parked outside of the bathroom while he went in.  So I appointed myself to guard the camera, and then proceeded to pick his brain about what  might see and where.  He showed me his pictures he’d just taken as two eagles harassed an osprey to try to hijack his newly caught fish.  I was sorry to have missed that.

Do you see the seeds on the railing in the feature photo?  He told me that people place them there for the birds, and right on cue that Downey woodpecker landed and gave me my first photo op.  The squirrels were quite interested in the seeds also, and if I had had food for them I’m sure they would have eaten out of my hand.  The park is lovely, full of boardwalks over the wetlands, and trails to follow, and that’s just what I did.

As I took pictures of the park itself I was quite surprised to find that squirrel at eye level only five feet away from me.  I didn’t seem to bother him as I took pictures while he was having a snack.  But as I stood there something caught my eye out in the woods.  I assumed it was a bird, but when I took a picture and then enlarged it in the camera I realized it was a deer.  The flicking of her tail was what had caught my eye.  So I backtracked a bit to try to get a better shot, and then realized that she had walked under the boardwalk and she was just off to my right.  I called to her and instead of taking off she turned and looked at me.  I’m happy to say that this park will be worth many more visits in the future.