Backyard Wonders: Sunset among wildflowers in Whippoorwill

Wednesday, August 25: Glazier Arboretum

Last week’s walk at Whippoorwill Park
August 20, 2010
by Stetson Hundgen

Memory and perception are peculiar things.  Using our five senses, we absorb the world around us and unconsciously reformat and record everything in the blink of an eye.  And while everyone has the same five senses, we all remember and perceive things a little differently.

Two weeks ago, Martin Stankiewicz and I began to conduct nature and photography walks around local parks, revealing the “backyard wonders” of New Castle.  This past Wednesday we took a group through Whippoorwill Park, a place Martin and I have frequently visited over the past few years.  On this particular Wednesday however, it seemed as if we had begun the tour in a new and strangely different place.

What I came to realize was that these woods were no different then they had ever been.  It was only the way I perceived them that had changed.  The very reason we do these walks is to give local citizens a different perspective on the natural world around them.  Well, on this Wednesday it was I who had gained a new outlook!

Fallen trees and gnarly vines, thickets of yellow and green thorny bushes stood out in a way they had never had before.  Providing a new light and new photo opportunities, these woods captivated us.  The thick forest gave way to the park’s pond.  Surrounded by tall grass and purple wildflowers, Martin and I climbed out, balancing along a fallen dead tree trunk to capture the image.

It was then that my father joined us along the trail.  While he has worked for over 30 years as an ornithologist, I’m not sure he has ever seen things from a photographic point of view.  At first, he didn’t move to take the camera out of his pocket.  As I began showing him the images we captured along the way, he started to catch on to our purpose.  By the end of the tour I practically had to pry the camera away from him.

We all see things a little differently and we all remember them a little differently. I had a great time this week, and I can’t wait until next week! 

Sunset Walk at Glazier Arboretum—Wednesday, August 25, 2010 starting at 5:00 p.m. till around 7:00 p.m.

$20 per person

The Glazier Arboretum is perhaps the most overlooked natural preserve in New Castle. Exploring its natural wonders in depth, we have found it to be a superb place for photographers and nature enthusiasts alike. Unlike many of the parks in our area, Glazier Arboretum is home to a large wildflower meadow, providing the perfect opportunity for a wide open, brightly colored landscape photograph. Through the swampy marsh the tour will stay on a well-kept wooden boardwalk; however we will venture off-trail in the moss-covered forest and get a glimpse of the park’s unseen natural treasures.

Along the way, nature photographers Martin Stankiewicz and Stetson Hundgen will instruct you on proper use of your camera as well as on techniques that will help you get your best nature shots. Even if photography is not a hobby of yours, let them show you the hidden gems right here in our own backyard.

Please call (917) 817-5337 if you have any questions.

At 22, Stetson Hundgen’s main focus is his education and continuing his world travels.  After recently returning from a cross country bicycle trip he was unclear about his next quest.  When he had the opportunity to team up with Martin Stankiewicz and help get Nature Trail Images off the ground, he saw it as a perfect chance to learn and grow.  Stetson looks forward to leading local photo walks as well as expanding to eventually lead larger tours around the U.S. and the world.  For more information, visit www.naturetrailimages.com and http://www.stankiewiczgallery.com.