Swimming with Friends

I enjoy my pool. Even though I live as a single woman in my home with a truly remarkable pool, have no fear—I never swim alone. A multitude joins me either along the pool or in it. As soon as I enter the pool, the hordes arrive. So, even though I may be the only human in the pool, I am never swimming alone.

Embracing the Non-Human Neighbors in My Pool

Many birds perch to watch me, along the wall like these white-winged doves or up in the nearby tree branches, like lifeguards on tower chairs. They are not just spectators but also serve as a form of company and entertainment. Even though they don’t say much, I know they are watching me. I don’t know if I am entertainment, a possible predatory threat, or if they really care.

During every daytime swim, I am joined by several paper wasps. They delicately sip from the pool, using the water to create the spit for their paper nests. I’m always fascinated by the divot their feet make and how they stretch the hydrostatic bond of the water molecules to support their body weight without breaking the water’s surface tension. It’s physics in action, right in my pool.

If I’m enjoying an evening swim, I have numerous bat supervisors. They swirl above me and skim the pool’s surface to pursue insects. Eat hearty, my friends.

The other night, as I was enduring a swarm of gnats (or midges), a swirl of a dozen canyon bats came to consume their meal around my pool. Yes, I’ve just created a new collective noun for bats, a swirl. It fits their flights around me while I’m in the pool perfectly. Their presence was a relief, and I was grateful for their help.

I’m deeply grateful for my non-human neighbors who keep their eyes on me. Their presence not only adds to the beauty of my swimming experience but also makes it safer. It’s always a joy to swim with friends, even if they are of a different species. Learn more about the many interesting animals that hand out in the Sonoran Desert (and sometimes my pool) with my fun and educational workbooks!