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mistressofmuses) wrote2025-04-23 09:25 pm
mistressofmuses) wrote2025-04-23 09:25 pm
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Monday: Belmar park (the day there were all these turtles)
The weather on Monday was beautiful, so after the vet visit for the dogs, we wanted to go out for a walk. We did drop Cy off at home, since he'd already had more than enough of a day, haha.
Bella came back out with us, and this time we walked around the whole of the lake (a couple weeks ago she was tired after doing a quick partial walk around just one edge, so this meant she had a Very Big Day.)
It was wonderfully warm without being too hot. We saw lots of birds (though heard more than we saw), and then there were SO MANY TURTLES!
These flowers look and smell like the flowers of the plum thickets in our yard as a kid, but I don't think they're actually plums.
Turtle preview! In addition to all the usual slider-type turtles, it was a two snapping turtle day! Look at that impressive tail!
I did pause and browse at the little free library in the park. I was surprised to find a mainstream published (by Avon) f/f historical romance novel, so I picked that up.
There was also a "wholesome cowboy romance" that promised that it included "a free Hallmark original recipe for Classic Italian Lasagna." I did not pick that one up, but now I feel like I should have.
(And I need to find a few books that I can drop off in exchange next time.)
A pair of geese and the first goslings of the season! And a conspicuously domestic looking goose on the shore...
Such tiny babies! (We did not want to get close enough to bother them, so not the clearest images.)
Last one of the goose family, but also a pair of ducks!
The cormorant nesting island.
More apple blossoms.
These were the first turtles we saw, on the opposite side from the "usual" turtle spot. Three pictured; two had already blorped into the water and away. Big one on shore, slightly more medium one on the big log, tiny one in the middle of the branches.
A bushtit (ha, poor things, saddled with such a name.) They were presumably eating insects on the flowers.
Tiny nest! The same one I got a picture of a couple weeks ago. Many more leaves now!
Goose nest!
The parent geese were a few feet away in the water, one guarding and one bathing.
Our noticing was noticed.
The goose hissed at Bella, which she seemed to find baffling. Much head-tilting.
This is looking out over the muskrat lodge... and that slightly greenish shape in the middle amongst the sticks is a snapping turtle! (Just behind the biggest of the sticks.)
SO MANY TURTLES! There are 19 slider-type turtles (that I counted) and a snapping turtle! Not counting the snapping turtle that was on top of the lodge. Plus a goose!
No really! SO MANY! Green dots for all the slider-types, purple dot by the snapping turtle in the water, and a blue dot so the goose doesn't feel left out.
And finally:
Bella, the amazing floating dog head.
I am very glad we went on a good walk in the nice weather. I hope we can keep it up!
Bella came back out with us, and this time we walked around the whole of the lake (a couple weeks ago she was tired after doing a quick partial walk around just one edge, so this meant she had a Very Big Day.)
It was wonderfully warm without being too hot. We saw lots of birds (though heard more than we saw), and then there were SO MANY TURTLES!
These flowers look and smell like the flowers of the plum thickets in our yard as a kid, but I don't think they're actually plums.
Turtle preview! In addition to all the usual slider-type turtles, it was a two snapping turtle day! Look at that impressive tail!
I did pause and browse at the little free library in the park. I was surprised to find a mainstream published (by Avon) f/f historical romance novel, so I picked that up.
There was also a "wholesome cowboy romance" that promised that it included "a free Hallmark original recipe for Classic Italian Lasagna." I did not pick that one up, but now I feel like I should have.
(And I need to find a few books that I can drop off in exchange next time.)
A pair of geese and the first goslings of the season! And a conspicuously domestic looking goose on the shore...
Such tiny babies! (We did not want to get close enough to bother them, so not the clearest images.)
Last one of the goose family, but also a pair of ducks!
The cormorant nesting island.
More apple blossoms.
These were the first turtles we saw, on the opposite side from the "usual" turtle spot. Three pictured; two had already blorped into the water and away. Big one on shore, slightly more medium one on the big log, tiny one in the middle of the branches.
A bushtit (ha, poor things, saddled with such a name.) They were presumably eating insects on the flowers.
Tiny nest! The same one I got a picture of a couple weeks ago. Many more leaves now!
Goose nest!
The parent geese were a few feet away in the water, one guarding and one bathing.
Our noticing was noticed.
The goose hissed at Bella, which she seemed to find baffling. Much head-tilting.
This is looking out over the muskrat lodge... and that slightly greenish shape in the middle amongst the sticks is a snapping turtle! (Just behind the biggest of the sticks.)
SO MANY TURTLES! There are 19 slider-type turtles (that I counted) and a snapping turtle! Not counting the snapping turtle that was on top of the lodge. Plus a goose!
No really! SO MANY! Green dots for all the slider-types, purple dot by the snapping turtle in the water, and a blue dot so the goose doesn't feel left out.
And finally:
Bella, the amazing floating dog head.
I am very glad we went on a good walk in the nice weather. I hope we can keep it up!