Raven Review, Special Issue 6, April 2019, -Leonard/heron elders
The Great Blue Heron elder and the White Egret elder
THE HERONS HAVE RETURNED TO IWATSUKI PARK
“It’s not just a matter of getting the paper out,” the elders told the ravens. Some see the herons are back and just think, “Oh, the ‘Review’ will be distributed like before.” But we’ve heard some exceptional stories about what happened this past winter at the park while we were gone, and we’ve been talking it over. We really would like to put out a special issue about at least two characters.
A young egret makes an unusual visit to Duck Pond
The first one actually didn’t want attention, but we think she should get some. In the middle of winter when everything shut down, one carp, Sara Fin, kept moving even while under the ice. With only a simple request--would she be willing to do the Review for a while--the task was accepted, and a nearby crow helped by doing the circulation. Recently, a young egret reporter made a direct visit to her home: Corner Cove, Duck Pond. Because egrets have never been to Duck Pond before, it took some hunting, but her place was found, and they had a nice visit. Apparently, she stays one month ahead with the Review “because you never know what’ll happen here at the park.”
Thank you, Sara Fin.
Stalwart Stand-In Editor of the Review
Sara Fin: “Don’t forget--Coffee the Crow did the Distribution!”
Egret’s Touchdown on Iwatsuki Pond, February, 2019
One warm day last month, when an egret flew down on the Iwatsuki Pond and saw some turtles had come out of hibernation and were basking on the island, He noticed there was one turtle that wasn’t basking with the rest of his friends but was already swimming in the water. Didn’t he have to “thaw” too? Why? What happened?
(See the turtle at the bottom left of the picture?)
It was here we got the amazing story. Apparently, autumn last year, all the turtles had gone into hibernation together, but one warm day in Dec., Rocky the turtle woke up out of his sleep and swam with the handful of the carp in the pond who also enjoyed an unusually warm day. But to his horror he realized he was the only turtle moving in the pond! After that, for 63 days, he had to paddle around in the icy waters waiting for his buddies to wake up. Rocky may have had to do a lot of difficult things in his life before, but never for 63 days, alone. He probably found more strength inside himself than he knew he had. He has to wait a little longer now for his basking friends
Rocky’s Lonely Winter
So yes it’s spring, and the herons are back, but altho’ things look peaceful, some of our friends like Sara Fin and Rocky are toughing it out. Let’s not forget them. Ever.
