Old farmland in the natural area, in varying stages of succession, provides tremendous habitat for rabbits, chipmunks, snakes, and other small animals. Raptors abound above the fields and forest, waiting for a rabbit or squirrel to get caught without adequate cover. The Belted Kingfisher gets an intimate experience with the lake as it hovers over the water, awaiting a fish before it plunges into the water. It is a blue-gray bird, larger than a Robin, with a bushy crest. The female has a rusty outline on its breast.
Birds are only a minute part of the big picture.
Although wild lands are disappearing at an alarming rate, positive steps are a being taken to preserve important areas for plants and animals. State park lands and especially natural areas provide much needed homes for thousands of species. Humans love to gaze at birds in the sky or at feeders, envious of the freedom that flight has given them. Reconnecting with the natural world will do wonders for the stress of monotony and modern survival. It may also ease the pain of separation from nature.