Monday, February 1, 2016

Always so much to see and do at Seward Park - Part 1


We spend a good amount of time at Seward Park.  It really is a perfect location for Viva and D'light as there's lots to do and we enjoy it too!  Here's The history of Seward Park for anyone interested in learning more about it. Even with going as much as we do (at least twice a week) we often see new things as the environment is often changing.


We start off our adventure and after the whole robin incident last month, D'light has decided birds are a lot more interesting!  Here he was intensely watching a pileated woodpecker.




We move on and here is our view looking up as we begin our walk around the 2.5 mile loop around Seward Park.





A beautiful fern wall




We move on and I've been told there are otters that hang out on these floats.  We've yet to see them but, we always check!




"Nothing here to see or chase!"




A lovely walk around the park




Downtown Seattle in the background




As I've said, we had a lot of rain and wind and lots of trees have blown over at the park.




Mercer Island in the background and D'light enjoys watching all the birds out in Lake Washington




We walk by the old fish hatchery.  This fish hatchery had 20 rearing ponds and was built in 1935 as part of an effort to make Lake Washington a "fisherman’s paradise." By the 1940s, the hatchery was releasing 250,000 trout annually. Its negative impact on the natural ecology of the lake led to its closure in 1978. The hatchery was used as an educational research lab by the University of Washington's Department of Fisheries until 1997, when it was shut down altogether. Most of the ponds were removed, but five were retained as historical artifacts, along with the stone bridge over a now-dry waterfall and a pumphouse on the shore.

The stone bridge



D'light loves to hunt around this area




"Critters, Come and play with me!"




Off he goes!





A close up of the stone bridge




A plaque in front of the bridge




The old pumphouse




Pretty view with a handsome boy!




We head up the hill to walk by the old fish ponds




I found this picture online of what the fish ponds use to look like 




Here are the fish ponds now.  The area is fenced so you can't walk around them.




"Let's get going, we have critters to hunt!"




The trails are beautiful this time of year




We find another tree that didn't fair well from the weather




This tree broke in half from the weather




Here's the top of the above tree




There's so much to see and such beautiful colors in the old growth trails




Moss on a tree




I love the colors of the vegetation on the ground




"Enough pictures!"




Off they go!




"I'm on your trail!"






We move on and D'light loves jumping on logs to get a better view




A nice relaxing walk through the wood!




The majority of the time we never see a critter but, for D'light, any time hunting is a good time!




All the green is ferns growing up the tree










More ferns growing on the log with a twist of fungi





The woodpeckers have been busy!



A moss filled stump




And we find a log with some neat mushrooms




Lot's of lovely trees with green moss highlights






We do some recall work




A little more hunting as we head back to the car



"I could stay here all day!"




We end this adventure walking by the Seward Park Clay Studio.
 



D'light says "What is all this stuff in the plants?"




Some funky clay work!




Some hidden clay figures that you'd miss if you weren't looking





"Did you guys see this big clay sculpture?!"




Stay tuned to see Viva's fun time!
 
 
 

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