Well, it was snowing at Green Heron Pond last evening…yes I know it is the end of June but by looking at the pond and yard, you might think like “Christmas in July” we are experiencing “Snow in June”… Snowflakes in the form of tiny cottonwood seeds, courtesy of the “female” cottonwood situated by the shoreline and dock. After last weekend’s fish kill and clean-up, all of us are ready for a break from the heat, the faintly lingering dead fish aroma and all the white stuff clinging to EVERYTHING!
I had on a dark colored tee shirt when I strolled out to water the garden and flowers earlier only to come in coated with white clinging fuzz…even the birds are tired of the stuff…every duck and goose has cottonwood fuzz plastered all over their bills, songbirds dodge the floating wisps of white as they fly through the yard…I can’t remember a year it has been more prevalent and less welcome.
I am thinking the cottonwood fuzz may have actually contributed to the fish kill as nutrient rich water is one ingredient for the deadly mix that creates oxygen free water… and the pond has had a haze of white over a vast expanse of it. Though I have to say I am encouraged after a conversation with the local Kansas Parks and Wildlife Fisheries biologist about the general state of the pond. Basically, Nature cleaned out our pond when we could not accomplish it…now we have a clean slate so to speak to work with and do a better job of complementing Mother Nature.
There are some remaining small fish, turtles, frogs and avian visitors, so now we will research aerators as our only intrusion- due to the pond’s vulnerability to dense cottonwood population, age and lack of fishing… An aerator will provide additional oxygen in the sluggish warm water months and we will depend on the herons and turtles to help out a bit too. In the meantime I am staying indoors, drinking tea (tall glass with ice- not a steaming hot mug) perusing books, magazines and other cold weather projects…pretending that pleasant summer weather might be on it’s way…
lifeongreenheronpond 