At Canoe Cove on the island there is a beautiful park. We love to go there with our grandchildren, especially when low tide allows beach exploration. However, during the spring, no matter the tide,
my husband and I have watched the Bank Swallows there and were eager to see the tiny avian speedsters again. The birds weren’t in the same location as before, but had moved their nests along the coastline.
Erosion destroys many nests each year and it’s tough for the birds because they must dig new nests into the banks when they are tired after the long journey north. The Bank Swallows at Canoe Cove managed again this year.
We stayed inside the chained area away from the bank but patience paid off. The adults,
returning to the nests with food for the young,
were fast but we were able to “capture” them.
It was a thrill to watch them do their aerial acrobatics over the area.
While we had our picnic lunch, the sounds of the birds and their occasional passes overhead, provided entertainment unique to Canoe Cove. The view across the Cove shows a typical island scene for late May, fields of dandelion in full bloom.
After lunch we drove back towards home, stopping at Cavendish Grove along the way. The Grove has changed a lot in the last month,
the water in the pond having been replaced by reeds and grass.
There were two geese still in residence and mallards as well but grackles and blackbirds were most prevalent. However, Tree Swallows glided and flitted overhead, a sight new to us at the Grove. It was impossible to take a photo of them in flight. I have one photo of a Tree Swallow on a wire which I took in North Rustico recently.
Watching the swallows was an experience of natural magic provided by the island.
