Flowers of Colonial and Duke Island Park

Welcome to the first week of April at Colonial Park in Franklin Township, New Jersey.


While early for the season, the cherry, apples and other flowering trees burst into bloom the first week of April of 2010. This is approximately one month ahead of schedule for this part of New Jersey.

I can never get enough of the transient beauty of these flowers. Just five days after I caught these and several other shots all their glory is over until next year.

I couldn't resist taking advantage of the fair sunny weather during the work week. Everyday after a full day of work, I changed into a tank top and capri's and strolled through park along with crowds of families with young children, dog walkers and lots of other folks out enjoying the sun.

If you visit the gazebo by the willow trees (Powder Mill Pond), keep an eye out for white feathers - 3 domestic ducks have made the pond their home for the past few years. Each duck has a different colored bill - red (Cairina moschata), orange and yellow (Anas platyrhynchos domestica). Orange bill here always seems to be smiling as he grooms his feathers.

If you'd like to escape the folks on the fitness path, Colonial park has several wooded trails. It always amazes me the proliferation of wildlife that can exist so close to so many humans tromping around in fair weather.

I can't resist sharing this lucky shot I caught of a Downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens). This little bird did not perch for more than five seconds at a time. I love the way woodpeckers can perch and move vertically up and down the trunks of trees, looking for bugs to eat.

Above is the gazebo at sunset. I often pause here, gaze across the water, and feel at peace.

Later in the week, on Sunday April 11th, I drove over to Duke Island Park, in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey.

Duke Island is easily recognized for 3 main reasons. The first is the park ranger station, with its distinctive architecture, pictured above.

The second is the picnic grove sized gazebos, pictured above. From a distance, they remind me of alien spaceships that have landed among the trees.

The third unique feature of Duke Island is its picturesque views of the Raritan River.

On this visit, wildflowers were out in abundance. In a perfect world, I would have enough time on my hands to key out every bloom, as well as every tree and shrub I see on my hikes. Unfortunately the real world is not quite to perfect, so I will invite you to key out those that interest you on your own.

Like Colonial Park, Duke Island has paved paths suitable for light walks, strollers and biking. Additional dirt paths wind through the woods, along the fish filled Raritan Power Canal. See the park map here for the full range of resources available. Next week I hope to visit some more distance parks to view further spring flowers.