The Birds and the Bees

Well, mostly the birds this time.

Spotted on Tuesday: two downy woodpeckers. They flew in, and a few moments later flew out. Obviously just passing through! They were not seen again. All winter long we have been visited by several pairs of red-bellied woodpeckers, but never any downy woodpeckers. Until today. So this was a rare and special treat.

Now, the story of "our" Canada Geese. Every March for the past several years a pair of Canada Geese have claimed our pond for themselves, shooing other pairs away bold enough to intrude on the idyll. Monday morning, right on cue, two Canada Geese flew in. They took turns in the water; while one stood guard on the bank, the other glided around the pond. They lingered for hours, dividing their time between the bank and the water, dabbling at the water's edge or grazing on grass. Watchful yet oddly relaxed. They might not be the same geese every year, but observing this pair, one gets the definite impression that they know this spot well. You know, like those tourists who return to the same resort year after year.

Then suddenly both took to the water together. As if connected by an unseen thread, they were never more than a few inches from one another. Gracefully, elegantly, they swam in unison, making wide, leisurely circles on the glass-green water. Canada Geese, generally speaking, mate for life, and these two soul mates were a beautiful sign of spring.

Spotted today: two pairs of Canada Geese! "Our" geese (assuming, that is, that they are the annual regulars) have finally decided to share the pond with another couple. A truly lovely sight – four Canada Geese gliding gracefully on a morning-still pond drenched in sunlight, undisturbed, unhurried.

Unfortunately, yours truly left her camera and camcorder in Toronto. So no pretty pics for the blog this time.