a peek inside the fishbowl

A few days ago I wrote about Lime Kiln Trail as one of the pretty places in Ottawa to celebrate the fall season. The urban jungle known as Mud Lake happens to be a lot closer for those of us living in Westboro. And it sure is pretty.

I may or may not have mentioned that Mark is a bird nerd. I don’t mean to sound disparaging, but he kind of is. (I won’t tell you how many bird guides we have lying around the house. He also subscribes to birding newsletters. And buys $19.99 apps for our iPhone.) I am also a bird nerd – although to a lesser extent. I like birds too. They are pretty awesome little creatures.

Mark introduced me to Mud Lake when we were newly married. In fact, it was rather annoying because we managed to get lost. I’m not sure if it’s changed, but at that time the trail seemed peter out on the far side of the lake. Do not let this alarm you! Just heed my advice and turn back at the bridge (that is, if you parked your car on Cassel’s Street and took the trail that goes towards the lake. (You can also walk towards the Ottawa River. There have been Bald Eagle spottings on that side.)

Many people probably drive near it it every day, not even knowing that it’s a major destination for many wild and feathered creatures. It’s an unexpected little place to go birding, nestled next to a water filtration plant and practically within earshot of Richmond Road.

What draws the birds and animals to this place is the rich variety of habitats. There’s a bit of everything here; forest, lake, river, field …  a range between wet and dry. Heck, it’s a buffet. And who doesn’t like a buffet?

Mud Lake is home to hundreds of species of wildlife. Here are a few wild things we spotted (besides our own children):

Mud Lake is on a migration route. It might be too late to catch the bigger crowds of birds, but there are a few still lingering.

Apparently Mud Lake is part of what is referred to as the Britannia Conservation Area (BCA).

“This isolated island of “greenspace”, located within city limits, can offer incredible bird-watching during migration. Located at a constriction of the Ottawa River (the Deschênes Rapids), it is an obvious landmark with a great diversity of habitats. The pond (Mud Lake), the mature white pine stand and deciduous woods, and the surrounding urban landscape, all combine to make this a magnet for tired migrants. To date, 248 species of birds have been found in, or seen from, the BCA; this represents 74% of all spp. recorded in the Ottawa-Hull naturalists’ area (the 50 kilometer radius from the Peace Tower). Additionally, 52 species are known to have nested here over the years. For a single site less than one square kilometer in area, the BCA has hosted a truly remarkable number and diversity of birds!” (Read more at the Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club website.)

I’m not an expert. There’s no way I could identify 248 kinds of birds, but I can reasonably expect to pick out a heron or two, different ducks, nuthatches and our funny friends the black-capped chickadees. If we had seeds I bet they would have fed from our hands.

I think that introducing our kids to the bird world around us is important.

This kind of knowledge forges a deeper connection between us and our outdoor spaces, something that can slip away us city folks far too easily. Birds are the canary in the coalmine (no pun intended). Fostering our children’s deeper respect for the outdoors, in turn, encourages a better awareness of our greater environment, conservation, habitat preservation … not just for birds, but for all of us. A new generation of bird nerds can be a very powerful thing.

You can view a few more pics from Mud Lake over here.

If you go, I recommend bringing binoculars if you have them (many of the ducks hang out in the middle of the lake), sturdy shoes, and of course, your camera. :)

The kids like peanut butter. And they like chicken. So what could they possibly not like about chicken in an Asian-inspired peanutty sauce?

Plenty, it seems.

*sigh*

Here’s what my dinner looked like before it was devoured (by me):

It may not look like much, but it was deeelicious.

I don’t care what my kids say. This recipe is a keeper. I don’t care if my kids pushed the chicken around their plates and ate a 1.5 cm piece (total) of chicken. I would gladly make this again. I’m sure it will grow on them. Also, it made great leftovers for lunch the next day.

This recipe is adapted from the Joy of Cooking.

You will need:

• 3 bone-in chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup natural (a.k.a. sugar-free) peanut butter
• 2-3 tablespoons of sesame oil
• 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 3 teaspoons peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 scallion, finely chopped
• hot pepper flakes/sauce (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to boil and drop in the chicken. Boil about 10 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Remove and let cool.

Grab a medium-sized bowl and combine the peanut butter and enough of the sesame oil to make it smooth and liquidy. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, ginger, and scallion (don’t forget to leave a bit of it to sprinkle on top at the afterwards).

Remove the bones from the cooled chicken. Using your fingers – or two forks would work too – tear the chicken along the grain into bite-sized chunks. Place in a bowl and mix thoroughly with the peanut sauce. (This part can be made the day before it’s served!)

I served it (warmish – not hot) with vermicelli noodles and sliced cucumbers (as per photo). Oh, it was so good. Let me know if you try it, and what your kids think.

Next recipe is for a fish we’ve never eaten before: tilapia.

As some of you may already know, I’m on the board of the Youth Services of Ottawa Charitable Foundation.

I’d like you to join me and more than 400 of Ottawa’s community, business, media, and political leaders, as well as Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy, for the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa Charitable Foundation’s Dream. Believe. Achieve gala.

This is an inaugural gala for the YSB …  and will go a long way to raising funds for some amazing life-changing programs that help young people right here in this community.

Did you know that every month between 2,500 and 3,000 youth and families come to YSB looking for safe and stable housing, mental health counseling, employment support, and community reintegration programs?

That’s a lot of families who need a helping hand.

And that’s why you should come.

Individual tickets are $125.00. In exchange for forking over your hard-earned cash you’ll be treated to an elegant evening which will feature a cocktail reception, a gourmet dinner, live and silent auctions AND an intimate performance by Jim Cuddy.

Hello! Made-in-Canada JIM CUDDY!

I’m finally allowed to share a huge secret with you too! You will be able to bid on (and hopefully win) a serenade delivered by Jim himself. Can you imagine him singing this song (for example) TO YOU?:

You know you want this.

I am melting into a huge puddle just thinking about it.

The fun starts at 6:00 PM on November 25, 2010 at the Westin Hotel. Please join us! You can buy tickets online over here.

p.s. if you can’t attend, that’s ok! Consider making a donation instead. :) 

Read about my involvement with YSB here and please consider making a donation for Team Andrea. 

Looking for other ways to help? Blogging, tweeting, and spreading the word however you can to friends/neighbours/co-workers about this event would be a huge help to me and to my friends at YSB.

Thank you! I hope to see some of you there on the 25th!