Just a peaceful walk

After the concentrated seeing of the Blogger Bioblitz, a casual, aimless stroll down Cougar Creek was just what we needed.

The last couple of times, we started at the West end; this time we drove to the east end of the official park area; on the Google map, the green belt went on east, skirting school playing fields. We crossed the bridge to the east, following the creek.
A caucus of crows was holding a meeting in the trees above us and a couple of mallards dabbled in the deeper pools. Sunlight shone through open bush on the other side; we crossed on a line of rocks. Beyond, the red elderberry flowers were in full bloom.
The bush opened out into a clearing behind a row of housing, marked off with logs and mowed, not too closely. A red-headed woodpecker shouted out from a tall cottonwood; although we looked from all angles, we couldn't see him. As we walked, he moved ahead of us, calling from one tree after another, always invisible.

The creek turned north, between the playing fields and a cement retaining wall topped by chain-link fence. Along here, it was lined with cherry and plum trees, blooming pink and white.

The green belt over the creek dwindled to a mere line; we crossed it and turned back, across the field. And here we found the trilliums*, three of them. A real treat; something we don't expect to see close to populated areas. *(Or should it be "trillia"? Laurie says he doesn't bother himself with such a trivium.)
And back in the "Park" area, proper, where this winter dozens of mallards dozed and puttered, mushrooms dotted the ground. Some, I hadn't seen before.
Detail of the gills:Time to turn around. At the bottom of the main lagoon, a kid was fishing. He told me that once, he caught a big carp. Enough motivation to sit patiently for hours.
And a final delight. A queue of ducklings trailing Mommy across the lagoon.

In spring, for us, every day becomes a Bioblitz.