For the past month we have shared our portable home quite intimately with nature. Spotting wildlife in the river, the banks and skies that surround us has been a surprisingly consistent treat. It can be exhilarating, intimidating and hilarious and can even break a 30-minute spell of silence with a synchronized team ‘awwwww’.

We have a lot of time out here to discuss just about everything that goes on around us and we thought we would share some wildlife related observations.

1. Modern-day Animals Practice Hands-off Parenting.

Today’s human mommies and daddies shower their children with love. Nowadays more and more people are worried about the level of toughness and resilience of future generations. Well I’d like to see these critics be a little baby moose for a day and we’ll see which method they prefer.

The other day we paddled by a big mama moose and her with two newborns. The water was abnormally low at the time so the ridge to the forest was especially steep. As we paddled by, Mrs. Moose darted off as if she had just seen six floating ghosts. Her two babies were left confused and alone. You could tell they knew they were supposed to run somewhere without having a clue why. The two little siblings spent an arduous couple of minutes clawing and grunting their way up the hill and after a couple hooves to the face they worked together to clear the ridge and avoid the six friendly voyageurs. They didn’t get pushed up the hill. They did it themselves, and you can be sure next time they will be quicker.

We didn’t feel like complete bullies giggling at the sight of two confused baby moose knowing that someday this type of parenting will leave the moose with the final laugh.

2. Little birds have more fun.

More often than not, people come across major celebrities without anything but negative stories to tell. Some of the best memories come from the times we meet a local hero and get to know them on a more personal level.

Same goes for wildlife. Everyone wants to be an eagle. Who wouldn’t want to soar through the skies and mount themselves proudly on the tallest tree in the forest? That being said, given the choice I’d be a swallow over an eagle any day. Sure the bigger birds can cruise around and be feared by every creature around them, but that’s a lonely life if you ask me. Swallows on the other hand are tiny little birdies that zip around the canoe in groups of hundreds and rise and fall through the sky like jets. They aren’t going to appear on anybody’s coins, but you can just tell that they love each other and the swallow life is the life for them.

Stay tuned for Funny Things Animals Do – PART 2