Mai Thai Wanderings

June 02, 2023

A day in the life of a liveaboard, part 8

Every time I wander into my little garden on the river, the fish stare up at me wondering where is their food? I go get some bread to feed them. All of a sudden, a coot appears before me. Hmm ...Where was it hiding, and how does it know I was feeding the fish?

I have to admit that I never cared for the coots. They are the harbingers of winter. When flocks of coots arrive in the fall. they bring with them the cold weather. These noisy waterbirds hang out in large groups; they kick through water making such a sound it's impossible to miss them. Some coots have made their home here all year round. In the last several years, some even have babies. The way the parents protect and care for them is admirable. I have gained new respect and fondness for them. Unfortunately, there are no baby coots this year. No baby ducks either, although we see a pair of mallard ducks wandering around. The video of the coots and their babies is from last year's.

duck and reflection of the sky

The Canadian geese, on the other hand, have expanded their population. They are aggressive when threaten, and very protective of their young and their turf. Their babies grow fast!

A log was trapped near our boat, so I moved it to an area by my little garden so I can spy on the turtles. These reptiles like to bask in the sun. They are very skittish. As soon as they sense your presence, they'll jump into the river.