Two hours and 14 mosquito bites later, I can safely say that I have had the extreme pleasure of discovering some of the unique animal species Fredericton’s Hyla Park Nature Reserve has to offer.
If you have never heard the song of the American bittern, try to imagine the glug of a half-clogged sink draining. It’s a call that stands out among the more traditional flute sounds of the Red-winged blackbirds, warblers, chickadees and other birds of the wetland.
The Conservation Council of New Brunswick teamed up with the Nature Trust of New Brunswick and Nature NB to host a walk through Hyla Park to celebrate International Biodiversity Day, which took place on May 22nd. Guiding us were expert herpetologist, snake-wrangler and frog-catcher extraordinaire Greg Jongsma, and wildlife photographer and bird-call identifier Nick Hawkins.
Outfitted with binoculars, cameras, and a few nets for catch-and-release frog hunting, the group wound their way through Hyla Park’s beautiful scenery, stopping to examine a garter snake basking in the late afternoon sun, a pair of geese and their four goslings, green frogs galore, a genial bullfrog, and the orange flash of Baltimore orioles through the trees.
The gray tree frogs were very vocal, but, alas, they are also very elusive – although we didn’t see one, we were glad to know they were there.
Hyla Park was created specifically for the protection of the gray tree frog, but its preservation has created habitat for many diverse species of New Brunswick wildlife. As the trees leaf out, new cattail shoots emerge, and the birds and frogs start their families, the Park is just teeming with life.
Birds and frogs aren’t the only ones to build their homes in the park’s habitat. Canals leading between ponds and cut-down trees show signs of the busy beaver. Although we got a glimpse at its home, it didn’t make an appearance.
International Biodiversity Day is a United Nations day to encourage people to appreciate and value the variety of nature and how critical it is for the health of the environment and humanity. While every day is a day to celebrate nature, the International Biodiversity Day reminds us to take a walk through our neighbourhoods, or to a special place like Hyla Park, and explore the rich diversity of life. No, wait, make that 15 mosquito bites. I just found a new one while writing this.