Woke up, it was a forest morning

A forest hike … and the walk to and from the trail … is a wonderful experience at many levels. I enjoy the opportunities a hike offers in terms of photography, and it is definitely good for me in the exercise and fresh air category. Special treats of this walk included encounters with a downy woodpecker and a quail, both part of my walk before I entered the forest. I also photographed a flicker in the forest, but at 75-plus feet high in a tree, the images were disappointing. I was pleased just to have spotted him. I routinely hear woodpeckers and owls in the forest, but sightings are rare. A forest owl is definitely on my wish list.

A downy woodpecker hard at work

Vibrant greens

Pretty pinks

Quail strikes a pose

Singing a song

Tiny cones

Into the forest

Trillium develops color