January 20th, 2019
[quietly recorded in-the-moment]
Throughout my life I have felt extraordinarily privileged, having as many natural encounters and wildlife moments as I’ve had. I find myself sitting here tonight after a day working in my beautiful park…..walking our trail moments before dusk. I’m enjoying the delicacies and fragile yet hardy state of the brown winter-wonderland around me. The call of the red-wing blackbird, high in the bare branches, is interrupted by the noisy crunching of a river otter, enjoying it’s freshly caught supper as it gnaws on fish heads and frog legs. And here I am, the privileged park ranger, sitting on the grassy shore- tucked between the hardhack, reeds and rushes……engrossed in the scene before me. What a lucky life I have.
[I move down the trail a bit]
I move locations, sitting transfixed behind the rough fronds of an aging fern and prickly bramble. I can hear the “slurp” and the “chomp” of the tiny beast at work, as it swims between the vegetated islands amidst the shallow wetland. It makes easy work of gracefully removing its prey from the still water. It’s sleek body brushes the surface, up and down it goes…….playfully undulating as it extracts goodies from the muddy lake bottom. As its head emerges, its tail descends, a widening band of ripples giving away its location. Here I am with this otter, nobody else but us. At peace on this great day, as the evening approaches. The light is beginning to fade and the temperature slowly drops. What a treat I’ve just witnessed- as this small critter welcomed me into its world. Not seeming to be bothered by my curious eyes- perhaps even curious itself.
[one last movement, to a stretch of boardwalk]
I can hear the splash of the water, the snorting of his exhales as he comes up once more for an easy breath. Summersaults here and there, shoving aside the clusters of stale taupe grass with tiny paws to get through. He’s a busy fellah, and quite persistent at that. Another fish goes down the hatch!
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