The shores of Lac des Roches have turned into a nursery over the last month; there are baby critters everywhere! While there are thousands of tadpoles and little swimmers in the lake, the grassy slopes are filled with field mice nests, attracting several coyotes that, presumably, have their young hidden away in the same field. Any day we will enjoy watching the playful antics of the young gophers from our deck, although, perhaps, we’ll be wishing they were somewhere other than on our patch of groomed lawn. A nest of baby crows went down with a tree in the wind storm of June 17, but they miraculously survived and are still being fed by their well-providing parents who are forever gathering worms from the area lawns. A group of mallard ducklings were observed climbing onto the shore where they promptly cuddled together and made a feather nest out of themselves for an afternoon nap, under the watchful eye of their mother. We have been watching a pair of adult swallows feeding a nest of babies and wonder, how do they still warble away to each other with theirs beaks so full of food? This is a good time to remind residents that babies in the wild should be left alone. It is not uncommon for a fawn to be left unattended or a fledgling that falls from its nest to appear abandoned. Parents do return to their young. These behaviors are all part of their process of teaching the young how to survive in the wild and it is best for us to let nature take its course and to not interfere.
New loons
The loon articles in the Cariboo Connector on June 26 were very timely as there is considerable excitement among the residents over the chicks that emerged from the loon nests the same week on both the big and little lakes. One resident watched a coyote rummaging around one nest within hours of being vacated, so their timing couldn’t have been better. Although the chicks have found a temporary safe haven on the backs of their parents, their survival depends on a number of factors, largely the avoidance of natural predators and inadvertent disturbance by unwary lake users. Using safe boating techniques and keeping our distance from loons and their young are the best ways we can contribute to the survival of the chicks.
Rodeo
It was nice to see so many Lac des Roches residents at the Bridge Lake Stampede on June 27. As volunteers, participants and spectators, the involvement of the local community is, no doubt, key to the success of this annual event. Congratulations are sent to the rodeo committee for a job well done and thanks to all the residents for their support.
Goings on…
The rain in late June has prompted the wildflowers to instantly appear in the fields around the lake. We are enjoying a colourful display of orange and black tiger lilies, purple lupine, red and yellow columbine, crimson and pink paintbrush and pink wild roses, to name just a few. The wonderful smells that emit from these flowers are one of the best parts of summer. Beavers have been working their way along the shore, taking down small willow and alder trees in their path. I am sorry to report the cedar waxwings have been observed scouting out the area Saskatoon bushes, which are stuffed with green berries, just waiting for some warmer weather to mature into a feast for those hungry birds, and the rest of us, we hope!