Materials

Structures in Progress

Tall Views

Drawing at the Skate Park

Amy and I joined forces on Saturday to take our drawing classes to the FDR skate park to draw.  I last took photos here three years ago.  It is such an amazing space and constantly changing.

Mallards in the City

It's been a while since I went out to take pictures just for fun.  In fact, as much as I love Heinz, my project there has been feeling a bit like a chore lately.  Of course I'm nearly into my 10th (really 11th since I got started in December last year) month of a year long project.  So it makes sense that I'm feeling a bit burned out.  So just for fun I stopped by FDR Park to see who was out and about.  Mallards were gathered together near a bridge socializing, preening, and diving for crabapples. 

Duck Days

Common Merganser

Hooded Merganser

American Wigeon etc

Gadwall

Lesser (or greater but I think lesser) Scaup

Mallard and Lesser Scaup

I wasn't going to venture out into the cold today but a traffic jam on I-95 changed my mind.  It was windy and very cold but the ducks were loving it.  Heinz served up the Mergansers, Common and Hooded, along with some Canada Geese and Mallards.  FDR had the Wigeon and Gadwall (not to mention Shovelers, Coots, and Mergansers.)  I initially thought the Wigeon was a very nice looking Gadwall so I think that makes it my first Wigeon.  The Philadelphia Navy Yard had Scaup, Lesser I believe, along with the Mallards.  I also saw Bufflehead at both FDR and the Navy Yard but couldn't get close enough for a decent shot.

Good Things

A few good things from the last two weeks.  An old rabbit's foot fern off to a new start, a sleepy Pied-billed (I think) Grebe, and some Shovelers and Teals enjoying a bit of open water in a frozen pond.

Election Day

Election Day was beautiful and cold and we are very happy with the results.

More From FDR Park

This park was quite something at one time.  Built at a time (the early 1900's) when triumph over nature was more important than sustaining it.  Originally the area was a tidal marsh.  Luckily there is still enough of that left to encourage the water loving animals to pay a visit.  Yesterday I saw American Coots, Gadwall, Northern Shovelers, the Rudy Duck in the second picture, in addition to the geese and pigeons.  And then of course there were these last ducks, brilliantly colored Mallards.  I'm not sure if the oddball is an immature Mallard or some kind of hybrid.  The shape of his head seemed distinctively different from the other mallards. 

Skate Park at FDR Park

American Swedish Historical Museum

I went to the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia today. It's part of an new initiative I've begun. Seems like there are a lot of these little museums in the area and it seems like I should see what's in them. ASHM is about to end their Smörgåsbord exhibit but...the Viking knitting exhibit will be up in March. I'll definitely have to get back for that. In the mean time some charming views of the museum.