Earth Day sadness

Lily collecting used fishing line at the Charles River Peninsula, Needham, MA

Lily and I went down to the Charles River Peninsula this morning for our annual trash pick-up. This was her call--I just wanted to check on the nesting boxes.

CRP lovers, I'm glad you are using protection but please clean up after yourself.

We filled a bag from the parking lot and canoe launch areas alone. While we were at the canoe launch I spied a strange-looking frog. Stranger still, it made no attempt to flee when we approached.

I don't know enough about frogs to tell if this is naturally-occurring pigmentation or a coating of sludge.

Nearby there was another frog with more usual pigmentation, also seemingly afraid to enter the water. Or move at all.

Lily was relieved when we were able to coax them back into the water. She was desperately afraid that they had died.

Spotting an ancient outflow pipe nearby, and noticing an oily sheen on the water, I wondered if the frogs were better off on land today.... Lily suggested that my "canary in the coal mine" analogy was a bit distressing for nine-year-old ears. Who knows, maybe they were just enjoying the sun...

CRP polluters, Lily is not happy with you

Lily clearly enjoys being on the side of good, but she made a real effort to understand that the problem with litter and pollution at the CRP wasn't evil but thoughtlessness and carelessness.

I don't know when to tell her about the Boston Marathon.

Happier news: we both got good looks at the kestrel today. And despite some house sparrow forays into sacred nesting spaces it would appear the tree swallows are reasserting control (and the bluebirds hanging on).