09/19/2026
I evicted hundreds of Canadian geese this afternoon as I paddled Silver Springs. The hurricane whir and roar of their wings always began with an uneasy collective murmur, and once I flashed the flank of my canoe they made for the skies in a unified cacophony of black, white and brown.
Evidence of the healthy Painted Turtle population nearly continuously proceeded me. With their telltale shuffle-plop! they hurled themselves with abandon, nearly by the dozen, from their various sunning spots, into the green water.
On the homeward journey, the tall, narrow body and sharp orange beak I descried on the rocks ahead suggested a Heron, but as I floated closer, the shocking winter white of an Egret unfurled, rose and effortlessly soared over the autumn coloured trees and was out of sight.
Summer still lingers in pockets, so paddle on!
