The ducks are migrating back to Echo Park Lake, the ones who left for summer vacation. A week ago, the black speckled duck was back as was the tan and white speckled one. Today, my daughter and I saw an unusual black duck with a strange plume on its head and a white spot on the plume. It shared company with a white duck with clearly defined brown patches. There was also a duck that looked something like a Siamese cat, with brown color points accenting a tan body; and there was a gorgeous one with silvery feathers fading in and out of brown. I might have more ducks to report except my daughter wanted to get away from the birds after we were mugged by a pair of smallish white geese, who nipped at the hem of my pants and bit my leg. We had been feeding them bread when they decided they weren't getting it fast enough, hopped out of the water and charged us. I had to resort to stamping my feet -- to the horror of an onlooker, one of those perpetual park flaneurs, who happened on the scene just at that moment, having missed the mugging -- and my daughter was screaming, so we left the ducks and went to the playground. The Canada geese were innocent in this scene, though I must say that last week I saw about nine of them surrounding a pair of picnickers, even as the birds kept a cautious distance.

At the swings was a pair of men and a pair of girl twins, almost two years old. The younger of the men, who had a head that was last shaved about a month ago, kept scolding the older (in English), saying "Take her out of the swing, take her out, what are you doin', man?" And "Let her do it herself!" He wore baggy khakis and a white t-shirt. The older guy always answered in Spanish. "Man!" the younger dad shouted, "Now I have to brush her hair again!" And "They need juice!" "You can't smoke here!" Showing off for his own dad. The older guy looked pleased.

When I got home I had received a dispatch from Martin Cox, who also had been to Echo Park Lake. (Martin lives with his partner directly across from the lake and so, when he is not walking his dog in the park, is able to observe from his own balcony.)

Martin writes:

The MOST extraordinary thing happened: a fellow photographer, Bobbi Lane, once a well known downtown studio maven, who moved for love to Connecticut was visiting LA. We were chatting about her recent shoot in Nova Scotia over breakfast at The Brite Spot when the topic of eagles came up. I showed her my recent bird Echo Park photos, and she marveled at the diversity for a small urban lake. I then told her about the various bird goings on at the lake, with the wingless young ducks being regularly dropped off at the lake, (presumably they were once the cute young chicks who "disappeared" for several months), and the successful raising of 7 Canada Geese to adulthood. I told her that someone I met at the lake said an Osprey had been seen at the lake. In my mind, an Osprey is something one sees only after sitting in a bird hide for three weeks on a chilly Scottish loch -- I was doubtful. Right after breakfast we toured the lake, and to our astonishment there was an adult Osprey (likely a female) circling the lake! We watched for several minutes as the white bird of prey examined the lake for fish then headed off towards Sunset Blvd, both of us photographers and not a camera between us.

If she was headed toward Sunset looking for fish let's hope she stopped at the Pescado Mojado fish restaurant at Sunset and Logan.

Photo: Canada goose, Echo Park Lake, October 2006
By Martin Cox