#skywatchfriday

 It's always nice to find a new park.

Wantagh Park is a small county park.  Besides the marina, the park has playgrounds, a pool, ball fields, miniature golf, a dog run,  picnic areas...

And, of course, a few walking/biking trails. My interest is finding  places to walk.

And any place where the picnic area boasts a lighthouse...

But wait!  What's that in the distance?

If you recognize the Jones Beach Water Tower and the Jones Beach Theater, you're either a local or you have been reading this blog too long.

It's five miles from the county park to Jones Beach, according to Google Maps.  

As I said, there's a marina.  And a sandy  beach area for play, though you're not able to swim at the beach.

Have you ever seen so many geese?

Long Island seems to be a rest stop for migrating Canada geese.  We also have a local Canada goose population that does not migrate, but when I see  so may geese in one place I know we are dealing with visitors.

A girl on a bicycle -- she must have been about 10 or 11 -- rode right towards those geese.  I thought it would end badly ...but the geese moved out  of the way.  It was like watching the Red Sea part, 500 geese in motion to avoid the child's bike.

You expect to see seagulls, and I was not disappointed.  Also saw other birds.

Notice something different about these next birds?

Yes, those are parrots.  They're not native to Long Island.  Or rather, they were not native...these birds are the descendants of someone's escaped pet, and have adapted to life on Long Island.

I was told there are swans at the park, but I didn't see any.  Maybe next time.

A quiet spot where you can see fresh water running down to the sea.

And though Nassau County has dedicated huge areas of another park (Eisenhower Park) to monuments and memorials, this quiet park has a modest monument of its own.

Quiet park, very nice, and so close to my home.  

#skywatchfriday