… or maybe I should say “I’m feelin’ ducky” because I had my ducks in a row …
… when I hightailed it to Heritage Park in Taylor for my walk this morning. This is a beautiful park about six miles from where I live. I finally visited Heritage Park for the first time last Summer after driving past it for years. What a treat it was! I am including my blogpost from last August, because the photos I took on today’s trip really don’t showcase the peace and beauty of this park in its Summertime glory: https://lindaschaubblog.net/2017/08/26/meandering-with-mallards-and-memories/
By the time I arrived today, there were some stunning sunbeams illuminating Heritage Park, so I’d say my timing was impeccable, as it had been cloudy when I left home.
I parked the car and headed over to the historical portion of Heritage Park, as I wanted to feed the ducks and take some pictures of them first.
What a surprise to find most of the manmade lake, known as Coan Lake. covered in ice! I should have thought of it, since the Ecorse Creek at Council Point Park, has been iced over all week.
A wooden covered bridge bisects Coan Lake and on one side it was nearly frozen over. In the 30-degree temperature, many seagulls were roosting or walking around on the surface.
On the other side of the bridge, there were many frozen portions, but along the edge the ducks were able to paddle around.
I had taken crackers with me since they were such a draw at the water front last Sunday. I tossed out a few handfuls, this time remembering to take out the camera out and have it ready. Well, I might have been ready for those ducks and a few geese which lingered around the water’s edge, but instead, the seagulls from the other side immediately zipped over my head, screeching and carrying on. Those seagulls must have good eyesight, that’s all I can say.
I took the rest of my treats and headed over to the covered bridge so the ducks would get a fair share and since I wanted some photos of them. I threw out the crackers and watched them gathering from underneath the covered bridge – it was a safe place to be as the seagulls were crisscrossing the sky overhead, as if I’d handed out fish tidbits or even Goldfish crackers.
Some of the ducks preferred to stay far away from the fray that ensued, content to concentrate on preening themselves or catching a few extra ZZZZZs.
I had to keep putting the camera away as my bare fingers, in those fingerless gloves, were very cold. Like those few mallards who strayed from the maddening crowd, I likewise enjoyed the idyllic setting.
There were quite a few mallards on the grassy area by the water’s edge. I guess they grew tired of slipping and sliding on the icy surface, and I could sure identify with them, having endured that three days of ice-slickened sidewalks and driveway every morning when I went out to run the car. It was downright treacherous for me. I had to smile as I watched a few of them waddling across the ice.
But, on land, there was this one mallard who not meandering, but strutting his stuff along the path to the bridge, and he looked comical, so I grabbed the camera once again and had to just deal with the frozen fingers, occasionally blowing on them to keep them warm.
This mallard was giving me the side-eye!
I think his mate was nearby. When I reviewed my photos, though I liked this image of Mrs. Duck, whatever was on her nose?
The seagulls hung around, probably waiting for another handout, but I had taken the rest of the bag of treats when they were scarfing down the first batch, and I fed the ducks behind their backs.
So, that means dear seagulls, the joke’s on you, even though it looks to me these seagulls were enjoying a private joke.
A slew of ducks was playing tag by one of the historical buildings, and one was lagging behind. This mallard apparently didn’t notice me standing there as he ran as fast as his legs could carry him right in front of me. Was he looking for his playmates, or running late to dine on corned beef and cabbage?
I follow Heritage Park’s happenings on Facebook and checked out the new gazebo that was built last Fall. The gazebo is a popular setting for prom, homecoming and even wedding photos. In the background is the little red schoolhouse and mill and the gulls are flapping around on the ice.
I heard a Canada goose honking like crazy as it prepared to land smack in the middle of the ice-covered lake. I thought to myself “this ought to be interesting … can it see it is not water, but ice?” I watched its slow descent and it suddenly smashed down onto the ice, sending pieces skittering across the frozen surface and making a huge splash in the cold water. The seagulls jumped back in surprise as the goose paddled in his own little pool of water.
I took a trip around the perimeter of Coan Lake, camera in hand, and couldn’t resist taking some photos of a pair of geese, who first were walking side-by-side companionably, then one had a hissy fit with its friend or mate, just as the seagull was streaking by and photobombed the shot. (Note the hissing and the pink tongue in the first photo, then the lowered head and more of the hissing in the next photo.) The hissing histrionics went on for several minutes, and I wanted to interject myself into the fracas to say “can’t we just agree to disagree and not get so huffy?”
They finally got over their squabble and waddled off, and so did I, er … strolled off in the opposite direction. I took several trips around the historical part of the Park, then I went two complete laps of Heritage Park. I was tired and hungry by the time I got to the car, and by then, the car was warm and toasty as it was 40 degrees out. Finally my fingers thawed out and I drove off, five miles of steps taken and a mess of photos just waiting to be uploaded once I got home.
It was an enjoyable morning at Heritage Park; I hope you had a spring in your step on this St. Paddy’s Day as well!
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
I love this park, and all the beautiful, historical buildings. Gorgeous photos of all the nature to be had. I love the photographs so very much! Awesome post! 🙂
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Thank you Beckie – I’d like but my “like button” is still not working. It is a beautiful park and I am going to give you a link to see how beautiful it is in the Fall. I should have walked there long before I did. I don’t like driving in the Winter, but I follow the Park on Facebook and see pictures posted by photographers who take pictures in the historical village area and they are just awesome. You can see we still had snow in some parts of the Park … we will hit almost 60 today so I think it should finally melt. I get such a kick out of watching the ducks and geese … the seagulls not so much. The noises and their antics … it gives me a peaceful feeling to get away from everything for a little while. I am glad you like it and thank you for the nice comments … here is Heritage Park in the Fall. The fountain really makes the Park as well – I like how the fountain makes ripples in the water and gives a nice reflection: https://lindaschaubblog.net/2017/10/21/aint-love-just-ducky/
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Yes Miss Linda……..I had a “spring in my step” …………too this morning………but nothing as nice as Heritage park and your delightful “ducks in a row” walking on the ice!
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Thanks Ann Marie – I am glad you liked traveling along with me. It was a beautiful morning, but cold. I laughed at those ducks on the ice. I saw them once at the footbridge on Emmons trying to walk on the ice, but that was looking down, now looking over at them. I was amused and so many ducks there … I was in my glory.
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I enjoyed all the photos, especially those involving ice and/or reflections. Marvelous!
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Anne – glad you enjoyed them. The weather was so perfect, despite the cold … perfect for picture taking. It is very pretty there in the Winter, though I am too much of a Winter Weenie to drive in the snow.
I like the reflections on the water as well … now you’ve seen Heritage Park in the Winter and Summer, here is what it looks like in the Fall. P.S. – Like button still not working.
https://lindaschaubblog.net/2017/10/21/aint-love-just-ducky/
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Fall is my favorite season of the year. Those pictures were a big hit with me.
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Thank you Anne – Fall is my favorite time of year as well, even if it means exiting that pretty month with the near-perfect weather and going into Winter. (My “like” button is still on the fritz.)
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I don’t want to limit your words, but I wonder why your like button doesn’t work. That would be annoying.
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I know – and it only works on my own blog, I can like everyone else’s comments. Very strange! I am about to post my blog post for today. I was reviewing the book and quite frankly, the more I reviewed, the more overwhelmed I got. After reading it, I decided it was 90% more knowledge than I’ll ever use in my lifetime, that’s for sure!
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That’s a very pretty park and garden area, Linda, especially in the Summer and Fall.
I almost feel as if I just walked through the park myself; getting the benefits
without having to move a muscle. Thank you for allowing us to stroll along!
Love the pair of squabbling geese. Looks like an “I told you so!” moment,
whatever was really said. Overall, you conveyed the sense of picturesque,
everywhere you went. Nice work!
I had to work 8 hours yesterday, but celebrated when I got home with Ireland’s
best beer: Smithwick’s Red Ale. HaPPy BeLaTeD St. Patrick’s DaY! Cheerz, UT
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Thanks for your comment Uncle Tree – it is a beautiful park, and there are two parts … the historical area which is like a village built around Coan Lake and then there is a huge grounds, with the walking path which goes into a woodsy area plus this is where they have the final playoffs for the junior world series every year. They have quite a few 5K walks/runs for charitable events there as well. I intend to walk in at least one, maybe two this year at Heritage Park.
The ducks and seagulls, even the goose, on the ice were funny to watch. I took tons of pictures and was hard to pick which ones to use to accompany the narrative. I am glad you felt like you walked along with me. I’m glad you got to see Heritage Park in the Fall … it is spectacular, as are the photos people post on their Facebook site in the dead of Winter with all the snow.
I have just uploaded some pics from this morning – some up-close swan pictures in the ice. I will be back later to write a post about it … the weekend goes by so fast and you had to work yesterday and there is half the weekend gone before you know it. I have to take my driver’s renewal test tomorrow and I have to read the “What Every Driver Must Know” this afternoon … they always catch me on things I don’t do like haul a trailer, or put babies or kids in the car so I’m not familiar with the rules/law on this. Plus I rarely take the expressway, being the Sunday Driver that I am, so I have to go over the signs as well. I feel like I’m in school. Happily you only go for the eye test/written test every eight years.
So study first, write a post second. Enjoy the rest of your day and maybe your leftover Irish beer.
P.,S,. – My “Like” button is broken for some reason … just for my own site.
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That was lovely and very entertaining! I see all those birds have personalities!
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Glad you liked it Joan and those two Canada Geese were funny … as you saw, just out of the blue, the one got an attitude. If it was mad at the seagull flying close by, why did it “take it out” on its companion or mate? Then five minutes later no more fighting. I love watching the expressions on some of these birds and the squirrels too. The geese are funny in the Spring when their goslings arrive. They will walk across the perimeter path and set up a barrier around the goslings, so we walkers must go out onto the wet grass so we don’t get too close to their goslings. If we get too close, we get wing flapping and hissing – they hiss and stick out their pink tongues at us, like you saw the goose do in this post. I have taken pictures of the parents during May and June when the goslings are in tow.
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