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  • Home
  • PRESERVE
    • Ecology
    • Invasive Species
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    • Trails
  • ENJOY
    • halloween-22
    • Photos
    • Birding >
      • greenHeron
    • Trail Maps
    • Calendar
  • B W Kids
    • Nature Detectives - the latest news
  • History
  • Who We Are
    • Chuan-Chu Chou Blog
    • Perspectives on the Park
    • MemberInfo
    • presidentReport-1Q-21
  • Shop
  • JOIN
  • biancaTemp
  • loisTemp






brightwood park discoveries

Flickers' Courtship

3/19/2022

 
After a rainy day yesterday, with the temperature rising, the day was hazy till about 11.  The sun finally came out and the sky turned blue.  Before heading for Brightwood Park, a fluffy sparrow greeted me from the bush of winter jasmine.  I had to make a stop to take a courtesy  picture for the little fellow.

Near the Brightwood parking lot, two northern flickers were courting on a tall tree.  It was like a drama on the stage.  The way they corresponded to each other reminded me of the piece "Invitation to Dance" by Carl Maria von Weber.   I was apparently not the only party watching.  A duck got so excited and took off like a rocket to look for a partner. 

Signs of Spring

3/19/2022

 
Watching the moss flora on the side of the parking lot has been spirit-lifting for me.  I like its bright green color.  When the tiny area was magnified by the zooming lens of my camera, it appeared like a ripe field of wheat.  It's hard to believe that the height of the moss is 1 centimeter or less.

The tiny mushroom survived through the cold winter.  Snow and ice seemed to help it becoming more mature and pretty. 

The orange-colored lichens identified last Fall are becoming live again.    

Turtles' Springtime Awakening

3/19/2022

 
I was very excited to see turtles appearing in the pond again.  They woke up all of a sudden and crawled to the floating logs for a nice sunbath.  In some of the pictures I took, there was a photobomb.  A small protrusion of a log appeared like the head and face of a turtle, and competed for attention with its light color.

At a closer look, the turtles looked like special forces soldiers wearing helmets and camouflage uniforms and practicing an amphibious landing.  A large turtle was climbing to a log, like a tank roaring and was directed by a nearby soldier using sign language.

In the small pond, there was a family of turtles using a car tire as their stage of performance.  During the photo session they uniformly lifted their heads.  After the session, they self-announced "At ease!" and scattered all over the place.

Guess Who Came to Brightwood Park?

3/15/2022

 

Every time I take a walk with my friend, Tom, in Brightwood Park, his sharp eyes pick out something cool.  Today was no exception.  He first spotted a red-tailed hawk on a tree at the junction of the two ponds.  Later, the hawk came at us and landed on a tree close by.  Like a king, the big bird stood still in a high place waiting for us to gaze and pay our tributes.  Tom and I made a circle on the hill to position ourselves for photo shots. We watched and worked as royal photographers for a good 10 minutes or so, and then Tom had to go home.  The hawk appeared to be quite patient and seemed to want me to take a few more portrait pictures.  Finally the session was done, and His majesty took off.  Then I became worried about the three squirrels who were having a good time playing on a nearby tree.

In addition to the hawk pictures, I am sharing with you a few shots of the crocus flowers seen near the south entrance.  I was glad to see some of the flowers survived the harsh snowstorm last Saturday.  Two additional pictures were taken between the junction of the two ponds and the meadow area.  I regarded the tree stump as the cathedral in the sanctuary.  In the other picture is a new home being built by a woodpecker.

I hope you enjoy the photos!

Sunset after a morning rain

3/8/2022

 
After a rainy morning, the sky finally cleared in the afternoon.  About an hour before sunset, I took a walk in the park and was greeted by a few mushrooms playing in the water and enjoying a last-minute sunbath on trees.   Two excited dogs were enjoying the park.  One of the dogs swam across the pond to chase the geese.  After completing the mission, the dog returned to its master with an apparent sense of accomplishment.  

Spring is Coming!

3/5/2022

 
On my walks in the park today, it seemed that both the birds and the plants have woken up to welcome  spring.  I particularly like the woodpeckers.  They work hard and sing loud when they work.  In the afternoon I saw a pileated woodpecker pounding on a dead tree near the entrance.  To my surprise the bird did not mind me closing in to take pictures and videotape.  

    Chuan-Chu Chou

    I am a frequent visitor of Brightwood Park and enjoy sharing my discoveries.

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Location

Brightwood Park is on the North end of Prospect Street.  Go past Franklin School and look for the entrance on the left.

What Our Members Are Saying

"I love the work you are doing at Brightwood.  Your efforts have shone a light on the essential elements of the park that we all cherish: its natural beauty and tranquility."

"I have a deep fondness for Brightwood park and would like to see it restored, remain natural and continue to be a site of passive recreation."

"I loved growing up in Brightwood Park !"


"I found Brightwood a few years ago and it's a great place to find wildlife, fish, and enjoy nature. Nice and quiet; good place to un wind and relax. Love it!!!"

​"As a resident for almost thirty years in the Brightwood area of Westfield, I am thrilled to see what is happening to improve and preserve Brightwood park for today and future generations. "


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