I began this series to teach myself to be more observant by exploring a small piece of the world right outside my door at different times of the year. You can do this yourself from anywhere—a country home or a city high rise. It’s a micro-exploration!
Wednesday, June 28, 2023 – 7:30 am Eastern Daylight Time
I took my coffee out to the kitchen bench this morning to enjoy the 65℉ temperature and the early morning sunshine. If I was expecting peace and quiet, I was mistaken.
The birdsong assailed me—a cacophony of sounds. At first, it was unrecognizable, but as I relaxed and kept listening, my ear began to pick up the calls of familiar avian friends. Loudest were the Northern Cardinal, Carolina Wren, and Tufted Titmouse, punctuated by the dive-bombing buzz of the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and their high-pitched chitter.
A colorful House Finch landed on the hummingbird feeder to drink from the ant moat (or perhaps to look for bugs caught in the water) and lustily attempted to impress a far-off admirer with its chirpy conversation. An American Robin hopped on the ground nearby, searching for grub morsels that came to the surface of the damp ground during the night. A Blue Jay scolded from its high, unseen perch. A Woodpecker drummed lightly on a hollow log.
The Pine Woods
Looking up, I see a lone doe quietly walking through the pine grove and into the deeper woods. Undoubtedly, she’s part of a herd that has been decimating my new plantings every evening. Sigh…
A soft breeze caresses my face, stirs the leaves in the pot of blooming Mandevilla next to me, and carries a waft of honeysuckle mixed with the unpleasant fragrance of our chestnut tree blossoms.
To help with my bird identification, I turn on the Merlin app and start the recording.
Oh my!
Within ten minutes, it picked up many birds I either didn’t hear or didn’t recognize: Red-Eyhed Vireo, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Chickadee, Pine Warbler, Indigo Bunding, Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher, Cedar Waxwing, European Starling, Chipping Sparrow, and Eastern Bluebird. My ears need much more practice!
No wonder it sounded like such a symphony!
My majestic Catalpa tree stands sentinel over my yard. Tall and serene, its seed pods dangle like ornaments or earrings from its branches.
The wind sculpture isn’t turning, but a long wisp of Alpaca wool from my nesting ball is stirring in the zephyr. It was no doubt pulled out by the Phoebe on my porch who lined her nest with it.
This week’s desperately-needed rain has revived the lawn and shrubs. The brown in my boxwoods is healing to green, and the lush jade grass is studded with thousands of clover flowers. My overly-enthusiastic mower (the human one) will be taunted by how fast it is all growing.
Back to reality
It is now 8 am, and human noises are beginning to intrude: a neighbor calling his dog and cars starting and passing across the field on Black Bear Road.
How grateful I am for the time and place to immerse myself in the natural beauty all around me. Watching this world from the same spot throughout the year—engaging all my senses—gives me a renewed appreciation for Nature’s rhythms and the critical perspective that I am just a small part of a big, incredible world. As I shrink, so do my problems.
Take time to strengthen your connection with Nature this week. It will nourish your soul.
CLICK HERE to find all the posts in the “View from the Bench” series.
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We birders refer to that cacophony as the “Dawn Chorus”. It will quiet down in the mornings as more birds finish pair bonding & raising young. Such a wonderful sound of rebirth while it lasts. Sounds like you have a little slice of paradise in your yard. 🙂
Yes, thanks so much for reminding me of that beautiful terminology — it describes it perfectly and I should have remembered it. Are you familiar with Bird Watcher’s Digest? — now called BWD (https://bwdmagazine.com/)? It’s a magazine my husband and I enjoy — recently resurrected in a larger format which does better justice to its photos.Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
Gorgeous observations, Elizabeth. I’d love to sit on that bench and absorb the beauty of the nature in your back yard!
I would love that too, Denise! One of these days…