Life happens when one is still, when one quietly observes. This afternoon I perched myself on the cement storm pipe (doesn't that sound idyllic?) to see if I might sneak up on one of the elusive squeaking frogs. As I sat, a dragonfly darted into view. It flitted about, captivating me so, that I focused my attention there for quite some time. It's hard to capture a mobile insect, but you can sort of get the idea:
While I focused on the dragonfly, I wasn't aware that I, in turn, was the focus of another marshy creature. Two beady eyes rose to the surface and studied me. We regarded each other. And then a bee landed on me, I swatted it, and that was the end of my stare-down with the frog.
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| Kinda murky, but the eyes and nose are just above the surface while the limbs hang limply below. |
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| The little "rock" almost dead center? The squeaking frog. |
My patience was also rewarded when I stopped to watch the habits of a mud dauber. The insect crept along the marsh, collecting mud for her nest. She made a buzzing, scraping sound, yet her wings were still.
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| Mud dauber at the edge of the marsh, center of picture. |
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| My dad recently found this wasp's nest attached to the roof of their home. It seems to match the description of the mud dauber's habitats. |
Another pond habit of late is the pairing off -- and showing off -- of the mallards. (I've read that mallards are only seasonally monogamous.) There is much preening, flapping, and diving, each motion intentional and showy. The males and females often travel two by two now.
One pair exhibited a courtship ritual this afternoon in which they bobbed their heads up and down as they faced one another. I can only assume that they are now (as we used to tell the children) "married." We will have ducklings come spring.
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