Spring reflections on the good nature of WWF supporters

Against the backdrop of newly-arrived summer birds, such as burbling rose-breasted grosbeaks and chattering yellow warblers, eleven of us took a longish woodland walk this weekend. Eight WWF supporters and three staff used my modest remote cabin as a base (no power or running water), overlooking Loon Lake, on the Canadian Shield north of Kingston, Ontario. Together, we ventured out to celebrate the arrival of Spring. But for me, it was also a celebration of these special individuals who have chosen to make a legacy gift to WWF.

Photo Credit: Sara Campbell Mates – WWF Canada

The blackflies were definitely around, but not so bad that we breathed them in, and it couldn’t have been sunnier. So, spring wildflowers bloomed everywhere on the forest floor, from the last of the hepaticas to the first of the trilliums, along with yellow barren strawberry, purple gaywings, lavender wood violets, and assorted white flowers on wild strawberry, blueberry and goldthread, which aboriginal people chewed to cure cankers.
We also snacked on a few bright red wintergreen berries, reminiscent of life-savers and toothpaste of the same flavor. This hardy, overwintering member of the heath family inspired my 1999 book Wintergreen: Reflections from Loon Lake.
Trees too were in blossom, especially the white flowers of pin and black cherry along open granite ridges, and the red blooms of soft (red) maples in flooded lowlands.
Paired-up mallards flushed from my beaver ponds, pileated wood peckers laughed back and forth at each other, and crested flycatchers shrieked from the treetops.
In the ponds themselves, we spotted many basking painted turtles, one big old snapper (now sadly classified as a species at risk), but no Blandings turtles on this trip—a threatened species which I know is there, because I have photographed them often. If any of our readers know why turtles in general are so wary, please let me know. What could possibly sneak up on them way out there? Otters?

Photo Credit: Sara Campbell Mates – WWF Canada

It was a cheerful group, brought together by a shared love for nature and a unique commitment to conserve it for future generations. I couldn’t help thinking how fortunate we all are to have such a beautiful world, and how fortunate WWF is to have such good people who have chosen to protect that world as their legacy.
To learn more about making a future for nature your legacy, please visit: https://www.wwf.ca/donate/legacy/