Monday, September 03, 2012

Beside still waters

Another great spot for assignment grading discovered. Upper Peirce Reservoir Park has free parking, access to clean toilets and peace and quiet -- lots of it. The only sounds are insect noises from the forested area behind and to my right. I'm at a picnic table under a huge, shady tree with a view of the water. There is a slight breeze, so despite the blazing sun it's comfortable here.

Surprisingly, I'm not bothered by mosquitoes, though I was expecting to be eaten alive. All I had to do was fend off the occasional ant or spider attempting to use me as a highway to wherever it was they wanted to go. Still, tickles are way better than itches.

Other fauna I came across were a pack of stray dogs, presumably a family of an alpha, the mate and three adolescent pups; a lone primate ambling past my table with nary a glance at its human occupant; and, big surprise: a beautifully coloured kingfisher that swooped towards the water and scooped up a silvery fish for its mid-day meal. It happened too quickly to record on camera, so you'll have to take my word for it.

No food or refreshments to be purchased nearby, so pack a picnic lunch if you must.

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