When we bought our home in 2017, I wasn’t pleased with the man-made pond in the back of the house.
This rocky hole is kind of cool looking, but it came with a pump that doesn’t work properly. And in the rainy season it fills to the brim and without adding our natural pest control, would breed a zillion mosquitoes.
My husband and I just haven’t had the extra hours or days to properly maintain it. Besides, I reckon since we live in a dry state, a pond just doesn’t fit into the natural order of things.
I often dream about filling it in and building an extra room on top of it, maybe my dream Magic Zoo studio where I don’t have to negotiate a spiral staircase 10 or more times every day.
But then, there are the…
Autumn Visitors
In October, especially during the drought we’re now having, this watering hole draws birds from near and far. They gather on the rocks, trees and plants nearby, and swoop and hop to the water for sips. Not just one or two birds. More like dozens.
Northern flickers, white tailed pigeons, spotted towhees, little cuties with stripes around the eyes. Tufted little grey birds, mountain jays, robins. I’m not the best at identifying the different birds, but their abundant appearance in autumn (almost) makes up for the late summer mosquitoes.
Our photos show just a few…
These early October mornings, Ed and I enjoy their birdsong and grateful sipping while we exercise on our mini trampoline outside our bedroom door. The birds are not skittish, except when Willow the tabby tries to “frolic” with them. (I put a stop to it when I catch her at it.)
So for a couple months, at least, I get to be a close-at-hand bird watcher. Knowing we have a rare water source for both migratory and year-round birds makes me a little more tolerant of it the rest of the year.
What Happens in the Winter?
In November and up through March or April, the water freezes, which leads to remembrance of ice skating as a child in Ohio. Not that you could ice skate on a “pond” just about 6 feet wide. You really have to use your imagination. But I have plenty of that.
Then there are the spotted Tiger salamanders that lay their eggs in our pond in the late winter or early spring. Yet another reason I can’t bear to fill it in.
Do any of you have a man-made pond? What do you like or dislike about it? I’m curious!
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