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Index of Subjects On Saturday evening the sun came out, unexpectedly, after an overcast and muggy afternoon that threatened rain. I have a bad case of "cabin fever", as I have been ill for some time and have not been out enjoying the summer much at all. So I seized the moment and thought that at least I could walk part way around the Frog Pond (in Fleming Park, HRM) to see how the season was advancing. It's one of my favourite places but I haven't been there for a couple of months. At the entrance to the trail a squirrel was eating Indian Pear fruits - both nutrition and moisture after a warm day. There didn't seem to be much bird activity, although I thought it might soon pick up in the cool of the evening. I didn't want to walk far, so after the first boardwalk I decided to find a quiet place along the shore to just sit and watch. Green Frogs were making their twanging banjo-string calls. There was an immature Great Blue Heron out on the rocks; they often show up here in mid/late summer. A pair of Ring-necked Ducks was unexpected; a few come here in migration, but this seemed early. Surely they haven't been here all season? I sat and watched for about half an hour, hoping for Chimney Swifts or swallows over the water, but instead got to watch a pair of noisy Osprey calling and circling. The cove where I sat has lots of water lilies in bloom, and in past years I would often see Beavers here, sitting up on the rocks and eating lily roots. However there have been no Beavers in the Frog Pond for the last two years - I don't know what has happened to them. At about 8 o'clock, just as I was thinking I should head home, I saw from the corner of my eye a large bird fly into a clump of maples about 12-15 feet away from me, and land about 12 feet up. A Barred Owl! It looked me over and I tried not to stare, so looked away after a moment. I have often seen Barred Owls, but never one so close, in daylight. It seemed unconcerned by my presence, but was very interested in the people who were passing along the trail right below it. It was interesting to watch its head swivel as it turned to catch the high-pitched voices of children. Am I imaging things or was it particularly interested in a small dog? Most of the passers-by walked underneath it without seeing the owl - so few people look up when they are outside. The owl was perched where it could observe a shallow muddy inlet where some Green Frogs were calling; I hoped I would see it try to catch one. A couple of times a Robin would fly by and suddenly throw a panic attack when it saw the owl. I remained sitting for another half hour, enjoying the owl's presence; when I left it silently watched me go. Patricia L. Chalmers Halifax
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Index of Subjects