Once upon a time, before men with blueprints and dreams of empire drained it, the entire area around the Civic Center was a wetland. It's mostly dry land now, save in this one spot where, after a hard rain, a cienega forms.

Right away, ducks show up.

And egrets:

And great blue herons:

And it's all happening by a busy road:

In a busy development.

Because the earth here -- everywhere, really -- longs for its natural state.