Water Lily

Walking east this morning I ventured to the wetland portion of our bay and I was happy to find
this water lily in full bloom.
Often thought of as an invasive plant in waterways I find them peaceful to look at and a beneficial
part of nature as they provide cover for the small fish hatchlings that need to hide from their larger brethren.
The French artist Claude Monet was particularly fascinated by water lilies and painted them often during his lifetime.
Nature always seems to offer up something to enjoy on my walks.

The Common Tern

Walking early this almost cloudless morning I find myself admiring a group of Common Terns
at the harbour entrance. They are a beautiful bird with long slender wings and a forked tail.
I watch several flying head down and, displaying remarkable eyesight, drop vertically from
about thirty feet into the water to emerge seconds later with a minnow firmly clutched in their
beaks. They then fly close to the water to feed their almost grown young waiting at the breakwater.
After a brief rest they are off again to repeat the process before the minnow school moves on.

Fog

Walking this foggy morning is a different experience. The harbour is still, shorebirds are
clustered together and no waves lap the beach. I see no one else this morning on my walk
yet it is an enjoyable feeling to stroll in a slightly out of focus and muffled world. Even the
gulls are muted. The fog isolates us in silence. Out of the gloom comes a chirping birdcall.
A cheerful sparrow is busily about his business of hunting for breakfast.
Brightened, I return for mine.

Simple Pleasures

Life's simpler pleasures abound during an early morning beach walk.
Sitting on a rock, a Mourning Dove is not a specimen to be recorded in a birdwatcher's journal but it is a pleasing bird to watch and listen to for a while.
Farther on, lilacs in full bloom please several senses with their colour and perfume.
I find it entertaining to look at such commonplace things that make up the whole of our surroundings.
Discovering their innate charm is a blessing often overlooked.

 

Silence

Silence is one of a beach walk's many gifts.
With the exception of the faint sounds of a passing boat, the cries of shorebirds and the babble of wavelets, acceptable natural sounds, there is peaceful silence today.

The philosopher Soren Kierkegaard wrote that if he were a doctor and could prescribe only one
remedy, it would be silence.

A brief respite from the world's daily clamour is a healthy tonic.
I recommend daily doses.

Doing Nothing

The thought of spending even a few minutes simply doing nothing is an alien experience for
many. The work ethic by which we live tells us to stay busy and be productive.
There is much to be said for doing nothing from time to time.
But are we really doing nothing?
Merely sitting, relaxing, watching the shorebirds, hearing the waves and feeling the wind and
the warm sun on your face is a wonderful input to the senses.
Pardon my sitting here on the seawall doing nothing for a while.

Spring, The Wetlands

Even as the first green cattail shoots appear the Red Wing Blackbirds have returned to our bay.
One of the earliest and most populous migratory birds, the Red Wing Blackbird nests in the
wetlands and provides early colour and sound to today's walk. Being omnivorous, they are content to feed on insects and seeds equally. The male is colourful and easily spotted by listening
for their distinct mating call. The female is harder to find. She is smaller and drab in comparison
to better blend in during nesting. I was happy to catch this fellow in full song.