Lion's Park and Skagit Riverwalk

Getting to be quite the nice little extended park in downtown Mount Vernon. You can get a good walk in from North Lion's Park to the south end of the river walk without ever crossing traffic.

Ship Harbor Interpretive Preserve

Took advantage of the President's day holiday to stroll down along the Guemes Channel Trail and Ship Harbor Interpretive Preserve. There was a gull on nearly every piling from the old cannery.

Herons always look ungainly perched in trees. Especially on the tippy-tops of trees. 

They look ungainly when they fold their necks up for flight, too. Just awkward-looking birds in general. 

Anacortes would be a completely different place without the ferry system. 

View of Mount Baker with Lovric's marina in the right foreground. The next extension of the Guemes Channel Trail is being constructed near Lovric's and will eventually run from downtown all the way to Washington Park. 

Sunday at Little Cranberry Lake

I grew up about six blocks from here (and 35 years ago). Not changed too much since. Good sunny day for a walk around the lake.

These madrones seem to grow more horizontal than vertical. I remember them from way back.

A pair of cormorants stayed in the middle of the lake during my entire walk around.

This hairy woodpecker on the west side of the lake single-mindedly ignored me as I walked around and under the tree he was working on. 

Cap Sante Marina

60 degrees in February? I'll take it!

Everyone is heading out on the water, either for business or pleasure.

Except for this guy. (Ideally, the boat would be named the "Heron," but you can't have everything.)

Windy Walk on the Loop Road

There seem to be more deer than normal this year at Washington Park. Saw a total of nine during a quick walk around the loop and in the campground.

There were seven of them within 150 feet of me in the picnic area. Couldn't get them all to pose at once, though.

Was also able to watch Mahanadi Spirit leave the Guemes Channel and pass Cyprus Island on its way to San Francisco (according to marinetraffic.com). I get a kick out of the big "NO SMOKING" sign on the side of oil tankers. It seems like that would go without saying.