Out There

Common Yellowthroat

In the murmuring dark.

My farmer's soul can't sleep past four. If I get up the dog gets up and must be aired right smart.

Off in the distance just one robin is singing.

Or is it? So far, so soft, just not quite silent.

The yard light wakes the locals, the chorus is on. By first light there'll be a dozen, by sunup many more..... the Indigo Bunting that must nest in the yard, although we've never spotted the structure itself. There are fledglings though, every single year, fooling me with ringing chirps that surprise from the shrubbery all summer day long.

Warblers, Yellow, "Sweet, sweet, sweet, I'm so sweet," Yellow-throated, "Witchity, witchity, witchity," little bandits of the bushes. I love their bold tameness and their bright, yet secret colors.

And American Redstart, who also says, "Sweet, sweet swee..." but it's a sharper, thready sound, almost too mechanical a whistle.

Northern Cardinals, Carolina Wren, done with first nesting and back to summer song, sometimes a Wood Thrush, usually well off to the north, but one day right out by the wood stove, and wasn't that a morning! 

Sun will bring the Bobolinks, and their techno crazy melodies. Check out a spectrogram of the places their songs go. Wow!

Field Sparrow, first time they have ever summered near the house. Such a gorgeous silver waterfall of sweet, sweet, liquid sound all day. 

By breakfast it will be a job to pick out all the singers and squawkers and squealers, but in the last true darkness, it's just the robin and me out there, light waking sleepers sharing our joy, twin seekers of the light.

Purple Finch