Late yesterday afternoon the sky began to clear, so I left my work and drove to Second Marsh on the shore of Lake Ontario. I had a hankering for signs of Spring and I was rewarded. As I walked the dike toward the lake I startled a muskrat sitting out on the ice of the marsh. It quickly disappeared down an opening. On the other side I saw a mink which was patrolling the edge of the creek. Mink are bold creatures and this one watched me for quite a while before entering the water again.
At one point I was confronted by a pair of geese on the dike. They get territorial at this time of year and don't like intruders. These two honked and flapped as I got closer but eventually gave way. In the water I saw bufflehead and goldeneye ducks and with the binoculars made out long-tailed ducks, a more unusual visitor. A beaver magically emerged from under the edge of the ice where a lead had opened.
Everywhere there were robins and red-winged blackbirds. The grating song of the blackbirds is a welcome announcement of a new season. Even though the grasses are still brown and the ice is still on the marsh there are clear indications of new life and I could feel my spirit lift. I feel closer to heaven and earth in these days.
It was a Lenten moment in the natural world. Lent means "lengthen" and the days are stretching out. And after the pinched feel of this liturgical season, Easter and resurrection are at hand.
3 comments:
o.k. so I thought I was really something yesterday when I saw two Robins acting...well, acting like it was spring. I need to hang out with you!
As I write this, I am watching a heavy snowfall outside my back door. But in spite of the snow, we know spring is arriving in Calgary. This past weekend we watched some sparrows making a nest in one of our many bird houses and more than 4 different breeds of birds seemed to have returned to our feeders after a long winter. We had two bald eagle sightings on our last trip into the mountains and I am starting to hear the coyotes howling again at bedtime and I suspect they are venturing out of the deep woods, where they seemed to hide since October. I so love reading your posts because you often put to words the same very thoughts that I have!
I too saw the signs of Spring yesterday. I saw a red winged black bird and thought of you as I know you watch for their return. For me Spring always comes in the school yard! Students tend to find new voices, the skipping ropes are dusted off as are balls and marbles and as the earth wakes up to a fresh new beginning we have MUD, MUD and more MUD! Spring has arrived.
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