We hiked about 2 miles uphill to an open meadow that surrounded a pond. Fed by glacial melt, this pond was an incredibly rich habitat for ducks (we saw no fewer than 3 Redhead broods) Sora, White-Tailed Deer, Elk, Common Yellowthroats, Red-Winged Blackbirds, Loons, and an incredible diversity of insects. We were the only humans there, and the wildlife wasn’t disturbed by us. At first, we only saw the adults. I didn’t want to bother them, so I meandered to the other side of the pond to look at some loons, when I heard a low whistle. I looked up to see my friends pointing. The swans had left their haven on land and were headed right for me!!!