Cosley Zoo, Illustrated

On Saturday, the Sun warmed the air to over 40° F. and melted more snow. The thing to do was go look at ducks and other waterfowl.

These birds were huddled around one of the ponds at the Cosley Zoo in Wheaton, Ill., which we visit two or three times a year. A few of the more intrepid birds floated on the water and dove in, probably looking for snacks on the bottom, though I'm not sure what they would find this time of year. Some of the others seemed to be nibbling at the snow, maybe as a way to deal with duckish thirst.

This is the entrance sign for the zoo.

Note toward the bottom right, a rock with FUN painted on it. The odd thing about it -- one of a number of odd things, really -- is that the rock is the sole remaining one from what used to be a string of similar-sized rocks on this spot, before parking lot and entrance were renovated about a year ago. As far as small children were concerned, the string of rocks were a lot more fun for climbing and jumping than the lonesome FUN rock.

Also, in enlarging the parking lot, the Cosley Zoo -- that would the Wheaton Park District -- destroyed a fine copse of trees with a short path snaking through them. If the parking lot at its former size was full, as it must have been fairly often on weekends, the thing to do was park on the street a block way, take the sidewalk to the copse, then take the short path on to the zoo's parking lot. A minor, five-minute sort of inconvenience. Can't have that; trees had to die.

But not to grouse too much. The Cosley's still a good little zoo. More about which tomorrow.