Chirps and Cheeps

An Impromptu Visit to Como Park

Published: March 21, 2012
Tags: Parks and Preserves, Red-tailed Hawk, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Brown Creeper, Red-bellied Woodpecker, American Robin, Black-Capped Chickadee, Como Park, Lancaster, Elma

Today I had 3 visits with clients scheduled and so I had to do a bunch of driving all over the Southtowns. As I left the house, I made a quick stop to photograph a Red-tailed Hawk that was perching over a neighbor's pond. I find these raptors to be so cool!

After my 2nd visit, I got a call from the third client asking to reschedule our visit. So, OK, now I had to find my way back to my home office without the help of the Google map directions I had prepared myself with! As I'm directionally challenged, this is no small feat! However, making my way from the Lancaster / Elma area, I saw an entrance sign to Como Park. Hmmmm... since I was supposed to be tied up in a meeting anyway, I rationalized that I could take a long lunch and explore this park! I made a U-turn and found myself happily walking through this new and unfamiliar park on a gorgeous sunny and very warm day!

That park, itself, had a nice nature trail that followed a scenic creek. I soon found several American Robins, Northern Cardinals, the ubiquitous Black-Capped Chickadee, and more. To my delight, I found and was able to photograph both a Brown Creeper, first of year for me, and a Song Sparrow singing his heart out at the edge of the creek.

I was so glad I yielded to my spirit's nudge to detour my day!