Quieter and Quieter Woods

Yellow Warbler Singing His Heart Out
Most birds have had their young and the fledglings are well on their way to becoming independent. (The goldfinch is one exception: they breed in mid-August.) And, in the process, the woods and meadows have become very quiet. This morning I thought back to May, during the peak migration and breeding season, when birdsongs so filled the forests and wetlands that I often had trouble distinguishing individual songs. By contrast, in mid-August it's common to hear only a few chirps and cheerps, bluejay calls, and the chickadee's familiar "pee-bee."

This morning I happened upon an indigo bunting in a clearing. Phenomenally gorgeous bird!

And in the marshes and wetlands, I so miss the songs of the yellow warbler and yellowthroat. They've been gone for nearly two weeks, returning to their winter homes in Central America.