Duck, Duck, Goose Pond...

My walking/photography time was short this last outing. I stopped at one park only, and there was a lot of mud and standing water just about every step of the way. My stop was at a small family park with a small tree-lined lake. In fact, it’s Lakeview Park. Mainly it’s geese and ducks that inhabit the grounds. And families go there to feed them. I enjoy watching the youngsters, shrieking and giggling with delight, and get excited that the fowl come up to them; begging for more.

While walking around the perimeter, I was threatened [or did I threaten them?] by geese! The ganders took special interest in me, and at times I had to chase them off with my karate kicks. No, not kicking them, literally, but extending my foot toward those that wanted to take a nip out of my calf!! If you’ve ever been bitten by an irritated goose, you understand my stance!! Their pinching bites are painful to say the least.

Lots of water birds...

The northern shovelers were resting on the mud banks, the white ibis were preening in the tree cover, the mallards were for the most part, paired up. As were the muscovy ducks.

Someone had sprinkled cracked corn around and near the parking lot, and the pigeons, gulls, and coots were busy, feeding...

...the coot's large semi-palmated feet are so designed for them to be able to walk atop the swamp vegetation with ease, without sinking. On land, the lobes fold back when the bird lifts its foot, which facilitates walking on a variety of surfaces like mud, grass, and even ice.

Other than a lot of weedy spots and some grassy knolls, there wasn't much in bloom. I found this spot of over-grown dandelions and zoomed in to get the seed...