BABIES!!!

(April 27, 2010) This was a cool morning on the Riverwalk, and we got out there earlier than usual. The birds were singing in the woods and in the trees along the river; some were calling out as they saw the "four legged beast" (Sadie) approaching; others were putting forth their mating calls - for some, perhaps, too late since we are beginning to see and hear signs of new births with the chirping of small voices in the trees and new life on the river.


As we approached the bridge over the creek near the Public Works Department, a regular walker said, "There are babies around the corner." We walked onto the bridge, looked over the railing, and there was a family of Canada geese - two adults and five babies. These were the first babies we had seen on the river this year; that will certainly change in the next few weeks.

Someone told me this afternoon that she had seen new turtles near the train station, and the walker who commented on the babies, said that there were two Canada geese nests on two pilings of the bridge across to the train station. There are also geese nests in the debris stacked up around the pilings, and surely some nests in the high grasses along the trail.

In addition, the song birds are more skittish as we walk near where they have their nests. Soon there will be smaller versions of bluebirds, cardinals, mockingbirds, sparrows, etc. serenading us with their songs in the woods and along the river. Soon there will be smaller cooter turtles, snapping turtles and box turtles sunning themselves with the cormorants on the fallen tree in the middle of the river. Soon the woods will be full of small butterflies, moths, and other insects that fascinate Sadie. Soon the baseball fields will be full of children playing t-ball and baseball. And, soon the heat of summer will be upon us, and Sadie and I will walk earlier and earlier as we try to get our walk in before 8:00.

This evening we turned the lights out at Angler's Park as we got to our car right at sunset. The sandpipers are still there as are the red-winged blackbirds. Tonight, across the marsh, right at dusk, we saw a beautiful heron settling in for the evening. As with some evenings, I didn't take my camera tonight because sometimes I just enjoy the cool air, the sights, the sounds, the joy of spending time with Sadie as we each make new discoveries and just being there.

It was another great day on the Riverwalk.