I was up early this morning and on the move, as today’s adventure would be at Trenton’s Elizabeth Park.
But, before I ventured out, I decided to watch this Sunday unfold before my eyes, as well as document it with the camera.
Last night, I glanced at the sunrise/sunset chart and was amazed to discover in just one week’s time, we’d gained twelve minutes of extra daylight in the morning! I really couldn’t tell on an everyday basis, since the weather had been overcast most of the week. The chart showed that on Easter the sun rose at 7:14 a.m. and this morning it rose at 7:02 a.m. … that is a big difference in the course of one week!
I don’t have an opportune spot to watch the sun rise or set, unless of course I want to climb onto the roof. However, hanging out the front door worked well in a pinch. I wanted to do a sunrise photo before the trees leafed out and blocked the sunrise entirely.
Pictured above is that glow the sun emits while it is “gettin’ there” … how about that pale orange through the bare trees, looking just a little spooky?
In this photo all you see is a ball of fire on the rise in the trees.
And finally, this shot shows the sun as it makes that climb into the sky.
I left right after this photo was taken and headed to Elizabeth Park, about a twenty-mile round trip from here. The car needed a good run and I wanted to walk along the Detroit River in the 24-degree air temps and 19-degee wind chill. It was cold all right, but, it really didn’t matter because it was dry, very sunny and picture perfect on the boardwalk along the Detroit River.
Just like the other parks, the landscape is rather blah and boring right now, but there are a lot of waterfowl which made this trip enjoyable.
I usually buy oyster crackers to have on hand for when I go somewhere you can feed the ducks. The oyster crackers are so light that they float and are easy for the ducks to spot them on the water’s surface.
I came upon the first group of ducks – it was a mixed bag for sure.
At Council Point Park and Heritage Park it is just mallards, but here they have the white Pekin ducks as well.
Today was a real treat as I saw a unique-looking dark brown and white speckled duck. I have never seen that type of duck before and I Googled around and all I can find is that it is a mallard hybrid.
This appears to be its mate.
Elizabeth Park posts signs about feeding the geese, but there are no restrictions as to the ducks. Besides, this was right after the boardwalk ended and at the Detroit River’s edge, not in the actual Park itself. I tossed out the first handful of oyster crackers, aiming right for them. Those ducks instantly regrouped from the water to paddle over by the rocks to retrieve them.
I took so many photos of the ducks, I thought my frozen fingers could not take it another minute. The fingerless gloves are handy, but not too warm, so I stuffed the camera in its pouch and just zipped up my coat to allow my fingers to thaw out a bit.
But then I saw a pair of geese sitting on boulders in the water and a goose rising out of the water. That scene looked peaceful and serene, so out came the camera once again, an exercise that would be repeated at least a half-dozen more times.
As early as it was, many powerboats zoomed by, stirring up the water and creating waves which slapped against the boulders along the shoreline. There was commotion overhead as geese and ducks were constantly taking off and landing, plus a bald eagle cruised lazily high above. All you could see was the outline of its wings, a brown blip on a bright blue canvas. A few trees were coming back to life after this brutal Winter and exceptionally cold Spring. The weatherman says we may turn a corner at week’s end, but we’ve been at least 15 degrees below normal through most of March and this first week of April.
Near the picturesque bridge, I was surprised to see the old weeping willow was starting to leaf out. Soon a parade of girls in frilly prom dresses, or beautiful brides will pose on this bridge with an idyllic backdrop of water and trees.
There is a road that loops around the entire Elizabeth Park which is over a mile long. A walking/biking path similarly encircles this park, with many other trails or places to meander through, but today I only went along the boardwalk and on the asphalt path. This was because there were icy pools of water from all the rain on Tuesday and they were now like miniature skating rinks scattered throughout the entire Park.
I saw a pair of seagulls sitting on a humongous rock sunning themselves. Over the course of a few minutes, they changed direction twice, then finally must have grown tired of each other’s company, as they ended up facing the opposite way, completely lacking in any social graces.
By contrast, a pair of mallard ducks sat companionably in a small cove.
There was only a handful of people strolling through Elizabeth Park this morning. But, among them, I was amused to find a pair of kindred spirits busily breaking up two boules and placing huge chunks of that crusty bread on top of a wooden picnic table. Then they scurried out of the way, but watched from a distance to see who would enjoy those yeasty tidbits. I also watched as a couple of jays swooped right in and took their bread to go.
I reached for the camera after I saw a Downy woodpecker and a robin breaking bread together.
Next, it was a fox squirrel who climbed up the seat, then reached up and with his paw swiped down a piece of bread, then took that treat up into a nearby tree.
I couldn’t resist taking a photo of this black squirrel who planted his body amongst the bread chunks and proceeded to dig in.
Nearby, I noticed someone had set up a feeding station in a small tree. What a wonderful idea, and I wonder if they do this year-round or only in the Winter months when food is often scarce for our furry and feathered friends? I looked closely and saw multiple feeders, including one that was hanging on a shepherd’s hook with a slinky on the pole, no doubt to deter the squirrels. It worked for that feeder, but once when I passed by, a pudgy squirrel was gorging on seed as he raided another feeder. The benefactors didn’t play favorites either. There was a mesh sock feeder for thistle seeds and a suet cake as well. Squirrels, a dove and some ducks were enjoying the seed that had spilled out of the feeders onto the ground. Everyone was happy, and I noticed there was a plaque on the ground, so maybe it is a memorial tree for someone who loved feeding the critters. I would have liked to see the words on the plaque but didn’t want to disturb everyone’s feast.
For the umpteenth time I put the camera back into its pouch and tucked it in the zippered compartment in my squall coat. Each time I put the camera away, it was because my bare fingers that were sticking out of the fingerless gloves felt like they were frozen solid. Finally, I could take it no more and the camera remained in the case the balance of the trip.
I went around the entire Park three complete times plus meandered along the boardwalk twice. I racked up five miles by the time I was finished. I was happy I made the trip there, and look forward to the next time, when our “real Spring” finally arrives and hopefully the gloves can be cast aside.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
What a beautiful area! I’ve noticed how quickly it’s gotten light in the morning too. Seems quicker than other years!
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It is very nice AJ … considered the jewel of Trenton and much bigger than where I walk daily. Once the trees come out, it will be gorgeous. I intended to put a couple of links to see how it looks in Summer and decided the post might be too long so didn’t. I will give you the links at the end of this post in case you want to see it when you have some spare time. I went once and didn’t see it all, so returned again later that Summer. This year when I renewed my driver’s license, I got a “recreation pass” to gain access to some state parks. They have a more woodsy feel and are largeer, with owls and eagles, even deer. As to the light in the morning, I figured it had been so overcast and I had overlooked it … time to get extra steps in now.
https://lindaschaubblog.net/2017/08/12/trekking-in-trenton/
https://lindaschaubblog.net/2017/09/10/elizabeth-park-take-2/
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I love it when I can get into a new nature place and it’s neat to see them in different seasons as I always feel they look different:)
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Me too – like going to a different venue altogether. 🙂
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Exactly!
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Beauty of nature 🌺Lovely 🌺I can see your Sunday went really well🌺Thanks for sharing 🌺😍🙏🙌✌️
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Thanks Sharon – it really is beautiful there and peaceful if you go on Sundays. On Saturdays, in one portion of the park area, they have soccer and baseball fields so it is crowded there, but the park is large enough to walk around and not have to deal with the activity, though parking gets dicey then.
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Such a beautiful place. A place to relax and unwind. Great pictures.😊
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Thank you John – it is indeed a beautiful place. I will be doing more posts from there after the park comes to life again … it is a peaceful place to walk.
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Looks like a lovely place.
Also you take very nice pictures!
glimpsesofdaworld.wordpress.com
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It is beautiful. I like the park where I walk every day but this is special as there are so many more ducks and geese here. The ducks come right up to you and are rather fearless. The park where I usually walk has ducks, but they stay to themselves in the water and don’t walk all over the paths. Friendly ducks like the squirrels in the park where I usually walk. It feels like an “escape” for me when I go there. Thank you for the compliment about the pictures – sometimes I am lucky and get the critters to stand still long enough to take a good picture. The squirrels are easy – one peanut and you’re set, ’til they come looking or another peanut, then they start dancing around your feet!
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Looks like a beautiful place to walk!
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It is very peaceful there especially when you go on Sunday mornings when there are not many people at that park. It is busy on Saturdays as a special section of the park is devoted to soccer and baseball fields, but they don’t play those games on Sundays … so, it is just me, my thoughts and the critters. 🙂
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Sounds lovely!
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That looks like a pretty sweet park, Linda. Nice shots overall,
especially the boardwalk pics and the Willow tree. Love ’em!
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Glad you liked them Uncle Tree … it is a beautiful park and fairly large. I was surprised about the willow tree like I mentioned in my other post. It was still yellowish colored since it was just starting to leaf out, but sure gave some color to the park and made the bridge look beautiful. Come Summer, the park will be in its glory. I do have to tell you that the boardwalk there is quite a draw. We have Bishop Park where I took the picture of the dock with the wiggly-looking legs and it has a boardwalk but not as long; same for Dingell Park where I had all the seagulls on the rail … boardwalk but a short one. I could have stayed all day.
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I enjoyed that walk with you.
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Glad you enjoyed it Anne … I will go back in the Summer and probably once the goslings and ducklings arrive as you can get closer to the water to see them there. There are many wide-open spaces along the river front. Like the area with the ducks. Ducks are everywhere – I always take oyster crackers as they go crazy for them. Here are some links if you would like to see the park in its glory. I went twice last Summer. The first time I didn’t see everything, so I went back.
As to the light in the morning, I figured it had been so overcast and I had overlooked it … time to get extra steps in now.
https://lindaschaubblog.net/2017/08/12/trekking-in-trenton/
https://lindaschaubblog.net/2017/09/10/elizabeth-park-take-2/
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That park is gorgeous.
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It is – I know you would enjoy it. You really don’t know where to head first … along the waterfront, to the marina, through the wooded area … people like to fish here as well. I thought the idea of having the feeding station in the middle of the wooded area was so nice. I want to read the plaque next time I go.
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I wonder how I would walk in that park. In NY and here, I walked the same route every day. Since I leave from my front door now, there is no choice of which way to go.
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In this particular park, you have some options. You can go just along the riverfront via the boardwalk, and, if you want go through another trail that takes you down to the big pond. Or you can take the path that loops around the entire park – it is more woodsy. There is something for everyone!
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Decisions!
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I especially love the bird shots! 🙂 Geese and ducks are very intelligent and usually mate for life. My brother-in-law, who hunts them, is — as far as i am concerned — a big jerk!
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Thanks Tom – They were my favorite pics from the day too! I loved the area with the ducks … that was right on the Detroit River and there is another area inside Elizabeth Park that has a large pond and the ducks and geese congregate. That is where I had the shot of the mallard male and female tucked inside a cove. The ducks there are trusting and don’t usually fly off when they see you, like at Council Point Park where they usually scatter or fly away once they catch sight of you. I really liked that hybrid mallard. Searched everywhere to find its name only to find “hybrid mallard”. There were several of them as you saw and I had originally figured they had migrated from far away and stopped there to rest. I don’t understand shooting ducks either. I had heard before they are intelligent and mate for life and have also read about their compassion when one in their flock is injured. People discredit birds calling them “bird brains” – not true at all. You and I have had domestic birds and know what they can do and how they think.
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There is so much charm about the park that you frequent. I wish we had a park like that closer to the home front. I also wish the weather would improve in order to enjoy the park for that matter. Gorgeous pictures as always. 🙂
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It really is a treasure Becky. This is an old park and well kept up. In Summer it is a hub bub of activity. When I go there I feel like a kid as I always take treats for the ducks and they are very friendly and waddle around the park or come right up to you. At Council Point Park, the water is not so clean and the ducks keep to themselves pretty much, so this is a a real treat nature-wise for me. I am glad you enjoyed the pictures – I had a hard time picking which ones to use from the park. It was a beautiful sunny day, so I kind of forgot about the cold weather, except for my frozen fingers. Those fingerless gloves were not much good. I hear we are getting 10 degrees warmer every day this week. Friday it will be 71 degrees. While I’m all for some warmer weather as we are 15 degrees below normal, that will be incredibly warm all of a sudden and they are not talking about severe weather, but I will already be fretting and stewing about that. This morning there were snow flurries as I walked at the Park and on my way home.
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Miss Linda……………………..I especially liked when you said that: “the Robin and the Downy were breaking bread together”!
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Ann Marie, I decided I’d borrow that special Biblical reference as it seemed to fit the occasion. I am glad you liked it. Those were two large boules that were broken up. Many pairs of eyes were up in the trees watching and seized the opportunity as soon as they deemed it “safe” to plop down on the picnic table. I really liked that feeding station that someone put there. Next time I go there, I want to see what the plaque says near the tree. I’m guessing it is a memorial plaque of some kind like they have at Council Point Park. What a nice gesture.
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Lovely and amazing place !!!!👍👌
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Yes it is, it’s hard to do it justice this time of year. Give it and me a couple more months. 🙂
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👍
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You know, Linda, your posts are like walking advertisements for why one should buy a proper camera instead of just using one’s smartphone!! Stunning pix. Especially those trees, I’m a sucker for tree-silhouette pix, and there’s nothing like a sunrise behind ’em. Wow. And your bird pix?! Another walking ad for buying a proper lens!!! Never in a million years could anyone take such beauties with their phone! Kudos!
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Thank you so much Ellie and I have to tell you that I am real excited by my heron photos I took this morning. It was a case of being in the right place at the right time with this bird. I took some photography lessons many years ago when I got my 35mm camera and used to travel quite a bit. But I haven’t used it in years. I like the tree silhouette pictures too and I’m going to give you two nice sites to see sunrise or sunset pictures … I gave Anne the first one and she is following now: https://tofinophotography.wordpress.com/
also:
This site has a lot of interesting sunrise/sunset pictures as well, though not in the last few posts:
https://uncletreeshouse.com/
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Thanks for the links! I’ve taken some cool pics of sunsets/rises too, as I’m on the 14th floor and have an amazing clear view of the west. I put them on FB now and then; also Instagram (where I’m a newbie).
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I took my first sunrise pics the other day but they were not so great as the houses and electrical wires were in the way … I went down to the River and January and had some nice shots of the water and the pier. My neighbor used to go to the River to watch sunrise, nearly every morning. When she died I did a tribute post to her called “Last Sunrise” and used one of the pics she sent to me.
https://lindaschaubblog.net/2017/08/14/last-sunrise/
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Thx, will check after supper! xox
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Just published it. The link for Tofino Photography is the work of a Canadian photographer who lives in Tofino, B.C. Keith Watson, who writes the “Uncle Tree” site told me about Tofino Photography after I was at the River in my 01/28 post and saw some eagles. I have 12X zoom on my camera so I can zoom in, but when birds or animals are too far away, things are a blob. So, he told me to check out Wayne’s photos.
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Tofino, hmm, personal connection! My daughter received her marriage proposal there, right by the water, sitting on a log!
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Small world Ellie because I don’t think it is a very large town. It sounds and looks very picturesque.
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What beautiful photo’s! You captured some great shots! Thank you for sharing them!
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Thanks Diane, I appreciate you saying that.
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