I didn’t get the email informing me that the meeting point for today’s walk had been changed to

the Kennedy Forest area

from the usual

Visitor Center

Having waited for a long time, I went out for a bit on my own. The Park was getting very crowded, with a Boy Scout event; and having spotted a

TREE SWALLOW

a WOOD DUCK

and an early-sunbathing

RED-EARED SLIDER

I gave up and was walking back home. I was photographing various flowers blooming on the trees:

I clicked the CLOVER, too: I also clicked this beautiful Star of David in a derelict building (that I pass every day on my walk!) ....when Ruth Hartsell called, and said she would walk back and meet me at the History Museum and take me to the Kennedy Forest area....which she did, very kindly! We went past this tree of stainless steel: This piece of art (the cost of which, I cannot help thinking,would have planted several real trees!) is called The Placebo: Can you imagine, it comes with its own steel mushrooms: Several kites were flying in the sky, and there was another ringbow around the sun: Thanks to Ruth, I didn't miss out on the outing, as I would have, otherwise. The group had, apparently, split up into two, and ofkose Murphy's Law mandated that the other group saw the BARRED OWLS that I've been wanting to see for the longest time! However, we did catch up with the group: and saw a lot of interesting birds, including the DOWNY WOODPECKER and the TUFTED TITMOUSE: The pathways in the Kennedy Forest area have some beautiful wooden bridges: As we finished our walk, Ruth identified this VIOLET for me. This flower is supposed to be the epitome of shyness and modesty :) I came home, and remembered to click these flowers at home: 'I don't know if this is lavender,but it has a very heady scent.

I’d bought some early CHRYSANTHEMUMS from the store last week, when it was particularly gloomy:

For more photos of the outing,

click here for my FB album

The bird list is as follows. It doesn’t include the birds that the group saw before I joined them, or the birds that the other group saw.

Blackbird, Red-winged Cardinal, Northern Chickadee Crow, American Duck, Wood Goldfinch, American Goose, Canada Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Sharp-shinned Jay, Blue Junco, Dark-eyed Kildeer Kinglet, Crowned Mallard Nuthatch Owl, Great Horned Phoebe,Eastern Robin, American Sapsucker, Yellow-bellied Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow,House Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Song Swallow, Barn Titmouse, Tufted Wren, House Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-headed

Ruth was then kind enough to drop me home as well, because I’d been walking continuously for more than four hours! I’m glad I have Ruth in my life, it would be much more boring if I was Ruthless!