Mud Pies

I had the perfect location. I was well camouflaged behind two tree trunks, with one small window between the trees from which to point my camera lens. The kingfisher was here and was sure to land on the dead branches directly in front of me. I heard the kingfisher's calls and sure enough, it flew upstream from Shoemaker Creek. The kingfisher hadn't seen me at all, it gave no warning as it approached. The kingfisher then continued, it flew straight past my position, landed on another branch further along the edge of the lake, swiftly caught a fish and then much to my dismay disappeared back along Shoemaker Creek! I thought that perhaps the belted kingfisher might return after a little while. No such luck, but in the course of waiting I did see other wild birds. A white-throated sparrow perched just to my left.


I also saw yellow-rumped warblers that were just out of the reach of my lens. And there was more activity, from behind me. Birds that I would not normally have a chance of getting close to, but as I was so well camouflaged they carried about their business without a care. A pair of blue jays were showing interest in something on the ground.





They appeared to be specifically interested in the footprints that I'd left in the boggy edge of the reed bed. They both flew down to the ground.





And they both took a beakful of mud. All that I could think of while watching was how as a young child I made mud pies with my friends. It was so creative and so wonderfully messy! It all made sense. The blue jays were nesting and I had just made it much easier for them to collect the mud and small roots that they needed. They flew off carrying the mud and then returned for more.





Copyright © wildlakeside.blogspot.com 2020 Scott Atkinson All Rights Reserved.
Location: Lakeside Park, 206 Lakeside Dr, Kitchener, ON N2M 4C5, Canada

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