My Watermark is Collins Lake, Ontario.

Standing outside, on the lakeshore on this the first warm, humid night of the year, nature’s band was loud and clear. Bullfrogs, tree frogs, wood thrushes, all taking their turn. The sound of spawning shad on the surface, mixed in, with occasional loud splashes from a predator fish. Not to be outdone, the loons took the lead, with many calls from close and far. A blue Heron squawked as if annoyed by all the noise. Since it was dark anyway, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The scent of lilac, mixing with lily of the valley was amazing.Perfection!

The next morning, the band started up again at 4 am. What seemed like 50 robins, two song sparrows, followed by blue jays, orioles, grosbeaks and woodpeckers. A northern flicker hammers like a high-speed drill, on the bird feeder. Two kingfishers round the point chattering, as they do daily. Two caspian terns are cruising the shoreline looking for fish. A great blue heron coasts in for a landing, and squawks to announce it’s arrival. A male pileated woodpecker arrives, and looks in the window, knowing I will feed him. He waits on the back of the tree until the door closes, then eats. Two adult cardinals with a young one on the ground chirping. Two ospreys are soaring high, and their piercing call silences the other birds for a moment. Grackles have now moved in and scattered the songbirds.The finches have gone for their annual 2 week nesting period, but they will be back.

All we had to do was show up, and leave things natural. There is no app for this. Collins Lake is healthy for now.