Eastern towhee.
When are wild birds most vocal—I mean, what time of day and what time of year? Pretty sure first thing in the morning is the time of day, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the peak time of year.
Rose.
I say that because, in the early morning light, I awoke to the sound of rain—or at least I thought it was rain until I realized it was the sound of a dog peeing on the carpet at the foot of my bed. I’d heard Jack lapping up a bunch of water late last night as I slipped into sleep. I suppose I should think about teaching him to be more communicative. In any event, I hollered, he stopped peeing, I yanked on some clothes and took him out. It was about 4:30, 4:45 a.m. The morning was dim and damp and hazy. And I found myself amid a riot of birdsong. Cardinal, robin, song sparrow, redstart, house finch, house sparrow, titmouse, mourning dove, yellow warbler, crow, gull, birds I couldn’t identify because of all the competing voices. Even an osprey out over the cove. I’ve been on many very early bird walks, but I cannot remember ever hearing such a jumble, a cacophony. I have my dog to thank for it.
And as I finally slipped into sleep again, I heard it begin to rain, steadily, for real.
Will deer flies follow you for miles? When Jack and I hit the wooded Beech Hill trail this evening, just about the time I heard the tiny peeps of hatchling phoebes, a deer fly began to circle my head. And it seemed to me this very same insect followed me clear up the hill. Oh, I heard other flies—had two or three circling a time or two—but this particular buzz, its pitch and timbre, stuck with me. I would not be astonished if someone told me, Sure, they’ll follow your carbon dioxide footprint as far as you can go, even if you go fast. Then again, perhaps that first fly handed me off to another with the same buzz. How the hell do I know?
Blackberries.
Where have the cuckoos gone? They’re not exactly a common bird hereabouts, but I can’t remember the last season I haven’t heard a black-billed cuckoo. E.g., last year, I heard several call from various points of Beech Hill. I’ve gotten photos, even. In fact, I got a nice photo out back of my place one year. And a couple-three years ago, I also identified a yell0w-billed cuckoo at Beech Hill. Have they suffered some sort of environmental catastrophy? Some hurricane or oil spill? Or is it simply a matter of too few tent caterpillars this year? Granted, I haven’t seen as many as usual.
Probably I’m worrying about nothing—but I do miss the cuckoos.
After the early rain, the sun came out and the day warmed. And got humid. A bit of a breeze, but not overly much. Warm day. Some would say hot. I did ride my bike again (eighth straight day!). And our Beech Hill hike was nice and fast. Along with the young phoebes, I heard a black-throated green, saw a barn swallow, heard a chipping sparrow, and heard the chip-note of an alder fly. Didn’t see many birds, though. It’s that time of year.
Tonight is still mild out. The nearly-full moon hangs low in the southern sky, riding a long wave of clouds. Also fireflies.
Beech Hill List
Beginning at 6 p.m., I hiked the wooded trails.
1. Red-eyed vireo (voice)
2. Black-throated green warbler (voice)
3. Eastern phoebe
4. Chestnut-sided warbler (voice)
5. Rose-breasted grosbeak (voice)
6. Ovenbird (voice)
7. American crow
8. Gray catbird (voice)
9. Veery (voice)
10. American goldfinch (voice)
11. Eastern towhee
12. Common yellowthroat (voice)
13. American robin (voice)
14. Song sparrow
15. Barn swallow
16. Black-capped chickadee
17. Cedar waxwing
18. Chipping sparrow (voice)
19. Alder flycatcher (voice)
20. Hermit thrush (voice)
Elsewhere
21. Northern cardinal
22. American redstart
23. House finch
24. Osprey
25. Yellow warbler
26. Herring gull
27. Tufted titmouse
28. Mourning dove
Tags: alder flycatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, American redstart, American robin, barn swallow, black-capped chickadee, black-throated green warbler, Cedar waxwing, chestnut-sided warbler, chipping sparrow, common yellowthroat, eastern phoebe, eastern towhee, gray catbird, hermit thrush, herring gull, house finch, mourning dove, northern cardinal, osprey, ovenbird, red-eyed vireo, rose-breasted grosbeak, song sparrow, tufted titmouse, veery, yellow warbler
