A Little Spot of Wetland


                There is a sweet little pond, nearby, with trees, grass and a picnic area. In the spring, the pond was ringed with a thick grove of velvety brown cattails, and beyond that, the grass was speckled with the bobbing, swaying heads of a million daisies. The place kept its peaceful beauty all through the broiling days of summer, and it hasn’t been at all dampened by the earliest hints of fall.

                It’s here that I’ve been able to do some of the best bird watching that I’ve been able to do in a long time.

                Here are some of the beautiful creatures that I was lucky enough to spot this year.

                Mallard Ducks: These are a given in many parts of the world, but they’re still a wonder to see, especially in spring when the mama birds are being trailed by a flock of the cutest, wee little balls of feathers you ever saw. In early spring I could have easily tucked them into my jacket pocket two at a time. They were that small! But when I saw them again last week, they were as big as their Mom!


                Red Necked Grebes: There were a couple of these, each with a cute, stripy little chick or two. The mama would dive under the water, disappearing completely for a few moments. Eventually, she’d pop up again, sometimes several feet from where she’d started, and she’d have some grass-like plants draped in her beak. This she would gently deposit into baby’s open mouth.

                Red-Winged Blackbirds: These birds are some of my very favourites. They’re just so beautiful with their glossy black bodies and that shockingly vivid red and yellow shoulder patch. We saw a few males staking out claims among the reeds in the spring, and eventually we saw one or two of the smaller, brown females, too. I must have ventured too close to a nest, as one of the males dive bombed me a few times.

                Canada Geese: There were a few of these around in the spring, either bobbing about on the water, or honking noisily overhead. But when I visited last week, I counted as many as 35 all at once! I walked among them, and, although some cocked their heads curiously at me, they did not seem to mind my presence at all. They are always impressive birds to see, close up or at a distance.

                Jack Rabbits: Okay, not everyone who hangs out around the pond has wings and feathers, but they are still a welcomed sight. One day I seem to recall seeing about four of them hanging out on the slope all at once. It’s fun to watch them chase each other around or sit really still and sniff the breeze.

                It just goes to show, you don’t need to travel to great lengths for a glimpse of Mother Nature’s wonders. She may be preparing a show for you in your own back yard.

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