NOT MUCH TO SEE . . .

Monday, May 3, 2010

NOT MUCH TO SEE . . .

(MAY 3, 2010) "Not Much to See," was my thought as I left Angler's Park this morning, cutting my walk short because I had to go out of town. Although I had taken over 140 pictures, they were of the same birds that hang out at the marsh there - mallards, killdeer, and red-winged blackbirds. Even the occasional heron, egret, Canada goose, sandpiper or other passing bird wasn't seen there - just the mallards, killdeer, and red-winged blackbird.

When I went back to look at my pictures, I realized how untrue that statement was: "Not Much to See." I had seen nature, as I see it every morning, in the raw. There were two male mallards doing their "war dance" to win over the single female mallard; there was the killdeer in the field, scampering deeper into the field as we walked closer, and there was the beautiful male red-winged blackbird coaxing the not so brilliant colored female red-winged blackbird. At Angler's Park this morning there was conflict, there was indecision, and there was love. All of the elements of a good story had surrounded me th

is morning as I walked briefly among the daily events of nature.

"Not Much to See?" Give me a break. I saw more this morning before 8:00 than many get to see in an entire day. Such conflict, indecision, and love may be found on television, but to see it in the raw, as I did this morning, is much more rewarding.

It was another good day on the Riverwalk.

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"DON'T TRADE YOUR DOG FOR AN ELEPHANT"

(JUNE 19, 2010) This morning we saw some lovely sights as we ventured to the Riverwalk at 6:15. The mother mallard and the six babies were out at Dan Daniel Park and the flora and fauna were plentiful. But, one comment made by a regular Riverwalk biker/walker stayed on my mind as we ventured forth. He said, "One bit of advice: Don't trade your dog for an elephant." What was the meaning of that? I pondered that question throughout my walk until I saw a water moccasin swimming close to the shore.

EXPRESSIONS

(JUNE 1, 2010) Often we see expressions in animals that are similar to humans. Sadie sometimes swallows a moth she has been stalking, and the look on her face says, "Sheesh. That didn't taste very good." The picture above shows some interesting expressions on the faces of a goose family. There is the gosling looking up at the adult with respect,, the other goslings looking over the adult goose with an inquiring look, and the adult in the background showing stress. Within this one photograph is captured many emotions.

SHALL WE GATHER

(MAY 25, 2010) People gather each morning to walk or ride bikes together on the Riverwalk. In addition, there are many "gatherings" on the river each morning among the wildlife there. The waterfowl gather to communially dip in the river or fly off together to graze in the rich meadows or just sit on a log in the middle of the river - watching. There is another type of "gathering" that goes on as well. Look closely and watch the swallow and the bluebird and the robin and other songbirds gather nesting for their homes or food for themselves and their off-spring. Look closely and see the insects gathering whatever they need for sustenance - the small bug drinking from the rain water "gathering" on the leaf or the bee gathering nectar from the budding flower. All of this is the age old activity of gathering by the river.

THINGS ARE DIFFERENT

(APRIL 14, 15, 2010) There have been many changes on the Riverwalk over the past two days. The search for the young 5 year old who fell out of the boat near Dan Daniel Dam, the small flowers that were once there are now gone because of the cooler weather, and the river has gone down because of the drier weather. However, amongst these changes there are some constants: the same people we see every morning on our walk are there, the river continues to provide a home for wildlife, and robins can be spotted along the trail.