"I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze...
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils."-Wordsworth

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Contra Loma Park

This last week I spent wandering from friend to friend in the bay area. On my way from Antioch to Sunnyvale I had extra time before I had to meet a friend, so when I hit major traffic I decided to just stop at the nearest park. This is how I wandered into Contra Loma Park in the East Bay area. I had already been to the Black Diamond Mines, just an exit or so away the day before and expected more of the same rolling green hills with cows. So I was pleasantly surprised when I turned the corner of the cow pasture to find a huge lake.

Looking like such a tourist I walked around the lake, binoculars and all. I stopped multiple, multiple times to take pictures (some of which I have added to this post). I was so excited to be able to go bird watching! I got to see multiple Anna's Hummingbirds, Red Winged Blackbirds, Cormorants, ducks and Killdeer. I saw several American Kestrels- those cute little predators with the beautiful rusty red and powder blue. I saw what I think was a Cooper's Hawk and multiple massive Turkey Vultures gliding over the green hillsides. I stopped to photograph the many wildflowers that included California Poppies, Lupine and Phacelia. I stopped to watch the bumblebees covered in orange pollen flitting between poppies and watch ducks take off from the lake in their awkward splish-splash way. The park was clean. It even had bathrooms with soap!  (Presence of soap in a park bathroom is a big deal.) I walked past a fenced-off lagoon which I heard would open soon as a place for people to swim.


All together it was a great experience and I highly recommend the park. I saw multiple other paths that went off into the hills which I did not follow- some of them great bike paths. The people I passed were all very friendly and greeted me.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Feel free to speak your mind, keeping in mind I have feelings. Thanks!