Ashleigh visits Mingus Park

Here is the entrance to Mingus Park. It's a very pretty little park in Coos Bay, named after a doctor who did a lot of good in the area "back in the day".

The park is full of ducks, geese, pigeons, and seagulls. Here are three male Mallard ducks.

This goose is much more friendly than the ducks & comes right over to us. Maybe he thinks we have bread for him?

Sometimes during the summer you can see Western (or Pacific) Pond Turtles basking here on the branches that are down by the water. This is the only species of turtle native to the area, and they are endangered. Michelle has counted up to 8 basking on the pond in previous years, but she's pretty sure there's more. It's too early in the year for them to be out of hibernation.

Here is the Choshi Bridge. It is on the South end of Michelle's favorite part of the park-the Japanese Garden. Let's go check it out.

Here is the Koi pond. There's no Koi in it right now, but during the summer you can see them swimming around. They're really pretty.

I've decided I need a little rest & this Bonsai inspired pine is just the perfect comfy place to relax for a couple of minutes.

Here is the other pond in the Japanese garden. This one will be teeming with frogs, water skippers, and little minnows in about 6 weeks. It's very pretty & peaceful.

Here's a Pussy Willow tree that is in the process of blooming & putting out pussy willows.

Here is a view of the bridge from the other side. We're heading out of the Japanese gardens & back out into the main park.

This is a great old tree. The moss makes this another comfy place to take a little break.

Here are some Wood Ducks fleeing from us, sigh...they are Michelle's favorites, but they're more squitterish than the rest of the water fowl here. I like that when they quack it's really just a little squeak.

This was our companion today, Dr. Merkus. He has a collar & Michelle called the owners. He lives nearby & is an escape artist who likes to come to the park & socialize. He followed us all around the ponds today & then decided to hang in the playground area with the kids. His owners were going to come get him soon.

And this is the "big" kid playground area. There is also another one specifically for the little kids just around the corner of this one. So we lucked out & it's a really pretty day out today. The rain is supposed to be back tomorrow.