Tee-vees and Fee-bees

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
(TV! TV!)

Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina

Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura

Brown Creeper Certhia americana

American Robin Turdus migratorius

Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus

European Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia

NDG ‘Quiet Place,’ April 8, 2023

  Feeling springier in NDG. Nineteen species were encountered in 90 minutes, including patrolling Merlin and Peregrine Falcon still. There was quite an impressive noon chorus going on: Northern Cardinals were woodle-ing, Dark-eyed Juncos were trilling, Chipping Sparrows were chipping, and Song Sparrows were…songing.

  First of year birds included: Turkey Vulture, Eastern Phoebe, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, and Brown Creeper. Mourning Dove and Mallard were personal firsts for the site.

  I was expecting Hermit Thrush, Fox and White-throated Sparrow at this time of year, but I’m sure they’re on the way. I thought I picked up the distant call of a Yellow-rumped Warbler at one point, but that may well have been wishful hearing. They’ll be here soon, along with the Blue-headed Vireos, et al. Oh, I saw a bee. A bee!

  In other news, Montreal got smacked hard by an ice storm a few days ago, which wrought havoc on the power grid. More than three days later, there are still hundreds of thousands of folks in the dark. I’m stressed for them, and know I’m fortunate to have lost power only briefly. Also aware of how reliant we are on a thin shield of electrons, and of course the smart phones that enslave us. Digging deeper, I feel thankful that a temporary power outage is the worst thing I have to deal with regularly around here, and not tornadoes, famine, poverty, hostile incoming artillery, and every other wicked pestilence that stalks so many. Life is short. Getting deep, eh.