Central Park, Santa Clara
Central Park, Santa Clara
On Saturday D. and I went to Central Park in nearby Santa Clara, because I can't walk trails anymore and we needed to find a place that was flat, had some shade and benches to sit on, plus a pond or lake and some wildlife to watch. Here are some of the pics I took.
A scary eye balloon hangs on a tree limb, watching over the park.
We approach the pond, where a fountain gushes and the pavilion superstructure rises in the background.
The pond used to lose up to 7,000 gallons per day to evaporation, so the City Council authorized the use of recycled water and green technology, including biofiltration, for water quality improvement, thereby saving a huge amount of treated potable water for better uses.
A coot swims through the pond.
The fountain helps to aerate the water to regulate the growth of noxious microorganisms.
One of the many resident Canada geese.
A mallard takes a moment for some preening, or perhaps it's some sort of duck yoga.
A sign warns people not to drink the water. (And water with that kind of gunky scum on it is not water I would want to try to drink, I don't know about anyone else.)
A bridge spans dry Saratoga Creek.
A squirrel pauses in scampering up a tree trunk to eye us carefully.
Unripe toyon berries.
Buckeyes dangle on dormant branches.
Canada geese spend a lot of time in and around the pond.
The white breast of this mallard indicates that it is a hybrid, perhaps from a cross with a domestic duck.
Another coot swims across the pond.
The scary eye never blinks. It sees all.
On our way out we take a peek inside the Santa Clara Swim Club facility next to the parking lot.
.
On Saturday D. and I went to Central Park in nearby Santa Clara, because I can't walk trails anymore and we needed to find a place that was flat, had some shade and benches to sit on, plus a pond or lake and some wildlife to watch. Here are some of the pics I took.
A scary eye balloon hangs on a tree limb, watching over the park.
We approach the pond, where a fountain gushes and the pavilion superstructure rises in the background.
The pond used to lose up to 7,000 gallons per day to evaporation, so the City Council authorized the use of recycled water and green technology, including biofiltration, for water quality improvement, thereby saving a huge amount of treated potable water for better uses.
A coot swims through the pond.
The fountain helps to aerate the water to regulate the growth of noxious microorganisms.
One of the many resident Canada geese.
A mallard takes a moment for some preening, or perhaps it's some sort of duck yoga.
A sign warns people not to drink the water. (And water with that kind of gunky scum on it is not water I would want to try to drink, I don't know about anyone else.)
A bridge spans dry Saratoga Creek.
A squirrel pauses in scampering up a tree trunk to eye us carefully.
Unripe toyon berries.
Buckeyes dangle on dormant branches.
Canada geese spend a lot of time in and around the pond.
The white breast of this mallard indicates that it is a hybrid, perhaps from a cross with a domestic duck.
Another coot swims across the pond.
The scary eye never blinks. It sees all.
On our way out we take a peek inside the Santa Clara Swim Club facility next to the parking lot.
.