Extraordinarily Ordinary

The joys of cottage life are only enhanced by the amazing creatures with whom we get to share the experience

- Karen Hirst, Almonte, Ont.

A true Canadian tradition enjoyed by generations of many families on the shores of one of Ontario’s numerous lakes is the summertime cottage experience.

Every family will have their own unique twist on what that experience involves and means to their tribe, but one commonality many of us will likely share includes a story or two involving the other creatures we find enjoying the cottage experience with us.

Our family’s own experiences took place on Three Mile Bay in White Lake, Ont.

BLUE HERON

With the rising of the sun and the beginning of a new day, our visiting blue heron could be spotted standing in readiness to make the catch of the day. In the silence of the dawn, “Ichabod,” as we liked to call him, stood strategically with Zen-like focus somewhere along the rocky shore, or on the edge of a dock, poised and ready to strike. He displayed great patience—waiting, waiting, waiting—and then with rapid speed the strike was made, and an unsuspecting fish would be plucked from the water.

The blue heron is less graceful in his take-off for flight than when standing still. With its large wingspan, you get the feeling he has to work very hard to get any momentum going just to leave the ground. Eventually, he catches an air current and with a  swoosh of his wings, he lifts off and, flying low over the water, he’s off to his next dinner.

SNAPPING TURTLE