After having lunch with the "hooligans" Sunday I picked up the parkway just off Detroit Road and immediately descended into the valley created by the Rocky River. By way of explanation for those readers not from the Cleveland area...this stretch of green called the Rocky River Reservation is just one of numerous parks connected by a parkway that is called the Emerald Necklace, since it encircles the Cleveland area just like a necklace. It truly is a jewel, providing wonderful green and open spaces so urbanites can get back to nature for a time.
One walking trail is designated as a wildflower path and provides an outdoor display with photos and explanations of the different types of wildflowers. This is a photo of Virginia bluebonnets.
I had it in mind to stop at the Rocky River Nature Center as I often do, but as I approached it I determined that some special event was going on since the parking lot was overflowing onto the parkway. What a pleasant surprise it was to find that there was a nature/art show in progress.
I spent most of the time there enjoying a "close encounter" with a variety of raptor birds (owls, hawks and an eagle), thanks to the presentation by a wildlife rehabilitation facility in Castalia called Back to the Wild. Some had been injured sufficiently that they could not be returned to the wild so they are used for instructional purposes.
Several years ago this bald eagle was found lying on the ground by a man out looking for Indian artifacts. It was determined that it had contracted the west nile virus and had lost its vision. There were numerous dead critters laying around it but it was significantly underweight. They think that its mate brought it food but it could not see it and eagles do not have the sense of smell. It is sad to see these amazing birds tethered and unable to soar the heights, yet they continue to serve us with valuable lessons.
No comments:
Post a Comment