I have missed a few of the notable migrations this year; Salamanders, raptors, and until yesterday, the Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). The salmon are a unique one on this list for me though, special in a strange kind of way. Firstly, fish and I never sat well until I got to know the salmon. They changed how I saw all fish species, and now instead of a feeling of ick, I get a wonder, awe and reverence. Secondly, this migration back to the homeplaces of the individual salmon, while bringing the promise of future life, also means imminent death for the hundreds of fish who make the journey. There is a beauty and sadness in it that floods right through me.  

This episode was recorded along the banks of the Credit River, which is also a bit of a homecoming for me as well. The Credit is a river I have known, a river which has shaped me  deeply and set me on a course I am wading my way through. 

I am unfathomably grateful for the salmon and for the river for sharing so much with me and helping to shape this episode.

To learn more :
Freshwater Fishes of Ontario by Erling Holm, Nicholas E Mandrak, Mary E. Burridge. Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), 2010.Fishes of Toronto : A guide to their remarkable world. City of Toronto, Royal Ontario Museum, 2012. (pdf)
Salmon Country by Robert H. Busch. Key Porter Books, 2000.