It started out with a trip to the pharmacy to pick up a refill for the old heart. Then the weather cleared and while I was out, might was well go check out Flag Pole Hill's new upgrades. I like the walk from the train station and taking the Flag Pole Hill Trail along the low lands of White Rock Creek that flows into the lake. Flag Pole Hill was or is part of White Rock Lake, although now, it is more or less two separate parks.
My first image was at the second bridge that actually is over White Rock Creek. The first bridge, a half mile back, is over a creek branch that broke off the main creek farther north and flows southwest. There, I saw the biggest spider web that I have ever seen. It had a guide rope from a tree along the creek to the bridge, a distance of some 20 feet. The main web was suspended closer to the bridge and over the water flow part of the creek. The question that I still ponder at this writing, is: How did the spider spin a guide rope that distance? It was amazing. And it was an active web about the size of a 12-inch skillet filled with all kinds of insects. Just after leaving there, is when I was watching the fish flounce in the water with another guy that had been watching them as I entered the bridge deck. Then, I see a blue heron and with the first mastery of manual focus on the new camera settings, I got several shots before he flew under the bridge and found another place closer to the water.
After leaving there, is when the coyote ran across the trail directly in front of me. By the time I got the camera up and aimed at him, he was into the thicket of massive oak trees that were felled by storms a year or so ago. At the gps location marker, I called the coyote hot line and reported the sighting. Parks and animal control are doing research on the coyote population in Dallas. Ironically, yesterday, I saw a bobcat along the rail line as he crossed the tracks from one side to another and then back across the tracks again. I missed that shot, too. Two great shots of prized wildlife in the urban setting and I miss getting them both. I am still not totally adjusted to the much bigger lens and I don't want to shoot everything in auto focus as I have done 90% of the time in both the old cameras. So, it's a painful loss of shots like the coyote and bobcat for a while until I master the art of a more powerful lens. No excuses. It's just letting you know that not ever thing is as easy as a point-and-shoot.
I did get some shots of a Wood Duck with her brood out fishing in the creek. The chicks were a fair size for this time of year but they were so cute and playful while mom was just being herself;cool,calm and watchful. Where I saw them was where I have seen the nesting pair before in past years. This pair I do believe were the same pair that I saw a couple of years back as pop sat on the branch and called for the nesting check to jump to the ground. Mom was waiting at the marina dock to get them in the water as they ran from their jump to mom. Really, wood ducks are not only beautiful in the feather department but in the nest site up in a tree. Some wood duck nest boxes are available, but this pair really likes the old style of raising their chicks up the tree.
A few turtles were sunning on logs. I have pictures for National Turtle Day post each year. I don't need more turtles.
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