Noticing the year: week ending in the vernal equinox edition

[urbpan]

Over last weekend I saw my first turkey vulture of the year, and on Monday one flew over the zoo low enough for me to see the pink skin on its head. Also on the weekend, we were trying to pick out an unfamiliar bird song from a cacophony, but lost it in the cardinals, robins, titmice, chickadees, mourning doves, and blue jays that were all calling at once.

Song sparrows have been singing (and pretending to be red-winged blackbirds) and I saw one yesterday join the house sparrows in stealing food from the Keas. Also yesterday I walked from the punchclock across the maintenance yard to the tune of about 50 grackles in a tree, scranking and kleeking together, probably chattering about how much nicer the weather was down south.

In short, the birds think it is Spring, as does the calendar. It will take a few weeks to convince the plants, who are wisely huddled up, knowing that another snow and several more frosts are not just likely but guaranteed. Hardy cultivated plants like crocuses and snowdrops (and hybrid witch hazels) have been blooming for a while, and the daffodil sprouts are up all over. You can't blame people for planting these bulbs and other early bloomers. There aren't any insects awake to pollinate them, but it sure is nice to see some color in the landscape.

miz_geek posted pictures of skunk cabbage, the first conspicuous native flower to pop up in New England. It comes with its own heater, so that the few small bugs that are out have a warm place to hang out and help out with plant sex. I haven't seen any skunk cabbage blooms myself, but that's because I haven't been looking. Likewise, the Boston Birders google group has been reporting red-winged blackbirds (males only, of course) for a while now. I just haven't been actively birding--being a passive birder is more my speed. They also have been reporting armies of woodcocks, but again, these birders are deliberately going to likely spots at likely times (dusk) to find them and maybe watch their bizarre breeding displays. That's something that I should add to my "things to do before leaving New England" list.

Happy Vernal Equinox everyone! If it were up to me it would be xmas, new years, and earth day wrapped up into one, and we'd all get the week off. Enjoy it in whatever way seems best to you; may I suggest going outside and listening to bird song?

Comments

[aemiis-zoo.livejournal.com]

Where did you "paraphrase Denethor"? It's early(ish) and I haven't yet had any caffeine.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

His last words to Pippin are something like "Now, die in whatever way seems best to you."

[aemiis-zoo.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, I remember that now.

[candent.livejournal.com]

I received the books yesterday, thank you so much Jef.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

you're welcome! thanks for taking them off my hands.

[wirrrn.livejournal.com]

Speaking of going outside and listening to birdsong, I am furious with some folks in the Perth suburb of Mosman Park, who have somehow managed to get their local council to organize a cull of Australian Ravens (a native species) purely because they don't like the Raven's song (a loud, monotonous "Aaak! Aaaaak! Aaaaaaaarrrrk!": I sent a letter off to the local rag expressing my outrage, and pointing out that if birds could cull people due to the offensive things coming from their mouths, parliament would look like a Hitchcock movie...

Saw a Black-Faced Cuckoo Shrike in the Eucalypt outside our house yesterday. Unfortunately, despite the name, they don't emulate the behaviour of either cuckoos or shrikes, but just eat insects...

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Didn't you know wildlife is there to enrich humans' lives? Those ravens should learn to sing like skylarks if they don't want to get culled.

Happy Autumn!

[dragonwrites.livejournal.com]

i had to turn the fan on last night because around this time of year, and particularly when the moon waxes large, the birdies in tucson sing 24/7. at 2 a.m. they are as loud as they are at 7 a.m. i can't not hear birdsong. in my room with my windows closed, it's still pretty loud. midnight, noon, makes no difference to them. they're just thrilled to be here, i guess.

happy vernal equinox to you!

[(Anonymous)]

Aren't bird songs threats of violence and death made against other birds?

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Um, I don't know that they've been decoded in that kind of detail, but that's more or less the case. They are declamations of health and power that are meant to establish and defend territory and attract and retain mates.

[deathling.livejournal.com]

Funny how you guys don't have turkey vultures up there in winter. We've got an excess of them all year long.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Lucky!

We're getting them more frequently, and most ornithologists think they'll be a year-round bird for us eventually. They're starting to see black vultures, too.

[deathling.livejournal.com]

Why do the ornithologists think that is? I suppose they don't have much competition for roadkill since all the natural predators aren't around anymore.

I dunno if lucky is the word. Black vultures have become a bit annoying to people in some places on the eastern part of Maryland. Since houses have replaced their roosting area they just roost on the houses instead. This results in lots and lots of poop as well as noise and tends to bother the human residents. I guess thats what happens.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

For some reason the general pattern has been for birds to spread north, ever since North America was urbanized. Humans provide food, even in winter (our highways provide lots of carrion for the vultures) and cities are warmer than the surrounding countryside. Then there's the whole global warming thing.

[ndozo.livejournal.com]

The Jack-in-the-Pulpits are unfurling in the woods here. They're still dark purple.