Tranquility Of A Wild Bird Sanctuary
September Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Comfort”
Still clear water with only birdsong.
Water has many faces — turbulent, noisy, dangerous (a crashing waterfall, a storm at sea); quiet, peaceful, and comforting (a still lake, a warm bath).
The photo shows an unexpected sanctuary tucked away down an unassuming track. There's a sign, but it’s small and doesn’t invite scrutiny — and it doesn’t say “Magic Place This Way.” It looks like one of those signs that direct farm traffic, and it feels reckless to take a bog-standard car over the rough ground. There’s a worry of ending up at (or in) a giant midden.
It takes some cautious navigating, but the narrow track ends in a modest car park. From there, it’s on foot to find the real magic. Through a gate under the trees, the panorama of the lake opens up.
It feels like crossing a magical threshold. There’s no traffic noise, only birdsong. Yet the road is not far away. The water is clear and still. It’s possible to go around the lake via a grass track, seeing it from all its different angles. Other than the birds whose safe haven is the island, the only sound is an occasional splash from a fish grabbing an insect from the water’s surface.
This is a well-cultivated wild area meticulously cared for. Left to itself, it would revert to impenetrable undergrowth within a season. The odd thing is that it’s not as deserted as it looks. There can be dozens of people, but most of the time, they’re invisible, sitting quietly in the long grass by the water’s edge. They come to fish. I’ve been told that anglers come from across Europe to fish this lake. I’ve seen photographs of the giant carp that allow themselves to be caught once every few years. I don’t fish but would travel a long way just for the peaceful walk around the perimeter. Luckily I don’t have to — it’s within cycling distance even for a fair-weather cyclist like me.
If you’re angling for some good storytellers, look no further than this list: Mary Chang Story Writer, Ellie Jacobson, Dunelair, Dennett, pockett dessert, Susan Alison, Kris Bedenian, Kim Zuch, Jennifer Pierce, Stuart Aken, Linda Acaster, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Pene Hodge, Diana Lotti, Will Hull, Nicole Anders, Danielle Hestand, Madeleine McDonald, CARMEN F MICSA.