An Easy and Wet Walk Looking for Birds at Hilliardton Marsh

The sun was shining through the clouds when I arrived at the Hilliardton Marsh Provincial Wildlife Area, where easy, flat trails circle the provincially significant wetlands.

Spider webs and rain droplets were catching the light.

I kept going. I was hoping to get closer to the flocks of migrant birds.

More Northeastern Ontario Adventures

Partway through my walk, I realized that my boots’ waterproofing (despite being freshly applied three times) failed. My leather hikers were swiftly becoming damp as I trod through the long grass. The clouds were getting darker. I could see rain in the distance.

I spotted numerous ducks along the way; minimal photos were acquired. They’re just too fast and wildly afraid of me.

Nothing brings me more joy to see.

The leading edge caught up to me. Raindrops were starting to pelt me, and my boots could hold no more water, so this seemed like a great spot to turn around.

I tucked my cameras inside my waterproof jacket and slowly slogged back to the warmth of my vehicle.

By now, it was obvious that my boots were not waterproof. Every step squished like a sponge. It took four days to dry those hikers, but they could no longer be trusted for wet excursions, and they were the only wet-weather footwear I had.