Nature Notes

The days are getting longer and the Sunlight stronger. We are beginning to hear Spring Bird sounds, sometimes from unexpected quarters.

This morning, Richard watched and heard some Starlings singing characteristic Bob White Quail spring songs near the edge of the South Woods. The Starlings and their songs were of course high in the trees. Normally Quail songs (at least in the rendition of Quail) would be close to the ground.

Richard tells me that Starlings are mimics and are therefore able to mimic sounds around them. That reminds me of a funny story. For many years, we had 2 dear Neighbors next door when we lived in North Dakota. Myrt and Carlisle were about the age of our parents. Sometimes Carlisle would get a phone call and Myrt would stick her head out the back door and sing out "car-LYLE", "car-LYLE". As she sang it out, the latter syllable almost had a lilt to it. Richard noted that the Starlings began to sing "car-LYLE", "car-LYLE" in much the same pattern as she.

The more I watch and listen to the Natural world around me, the more I smile at the beauty, grandeur, and even the whimsy of what I experience. For years, I passed these things by. Now I do not want to miss a thing.