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Subject:

Still summer

From:

Gerald & Laura Tarbell

Reply-To:

Gerald & Laura Tarbell

Date:

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 11:00:27 -0400

Took one of my early morning walks just to verify that summer is still here.
I don't plan on leaving the house again until I see snowflakes. Yes, I know,
there are more flakes inside here than there will be outside.
    Nonetheless, I did Soldier's Delight again, still trying to find the
soldiers there. Zip None. Nada.
    However I did find some still vocalizing birds, mostly ACADIAN FC,
EASTERN PEWEE, TOWHEES, WRENS, CARDINALS and one lonesome PRAIRIE WARBLER.
    I also heard several WOOD THRUSH. Some of them mostly just make that
rackety noise they usually leave at the end of their yodelly, flute-like
fee-o-lay's, interspersed with some of their patented "whip, whip" call
notes. Fred Pierce was discussing this about a week ago. I don't know if
these are youngsters practicing up for next year or adult males that are
just tired of doing the full song and have moved on to something less
territorial sounding. I have heard several birds doing this in the last
couple weeks. The racket I am referring to sounds sort of like a whirr or a
rattle. We've all heard it. It's that part of the song at the end we sort of
ignore because we like the flutey-sounding stuff better. Hermit Thrush don't
do it at the end of theirs, which causes some heretics to claim that their
song is more lovely.
    I would agree with them but the nearest Hermit Thrush is 3 hours from
here in Garrett, not right out back here where I can hear it from this
computer-laden desk. I'll take the Wood Thrush in spite of the noise at the
end.
    As for evidence of summer - I found it at Soldier's Delight, too. There
was one SUMMER TANAGER still singing some short version of his song. He
stopped and stared down at me as if to say, "Who are you? Some music critic?
Go pester a Wood Thrush, will ya?"
    The fact he was still singing means its still summer. Soon as he shuts
up and goes south I can get my fly rod back out. That is if we get some
rain. Right now I can't find the creek.
    Jerry