Cody Creek

With our home overlooking Cody Creek, there is always something to see with each season. There is a cycle for each animal, bird, reptile and amphibian. Insects also…we are in Canada after all! Early spring brings merganser and mallard ducks. There are usually one or two pairs of each. They will often chase each other up and down the creek, vying for space. The muskrat appears at this time and often if the water is high we’ll see a beaver. The beaver may stay for a week or two, but usually it will continue down stream. By June, the frogs are out in force. They say that is a sign of a healthy ecosystem. By then the level of the water is lower and there are tall grasses for the frogs and the turtles. We’ve seen large snapping turtles swimming and smaller painted turtles sunning themselves on logs. We’ve seen otters swimming by, and when we do it is a real treat. There will be deer and fawns. The last three years the doe has had twins and she’ll bring them down to the creek. In late fall it is the blue heron. It will come early spring as well, but not for long. We have photos of a heron perched on our bridge railing, covered in snow one April. It will leave for the summer, but by late August it will return. It is very shy. It will fly away when we go out on the deck. Even if we try to take a photo of it through the window, if it sees movement or a reflection, it will fly away. So these pictures, taken yesterday are about as good as we’ve been able to get.