Chestnut-sided Warbler
The sky is a glass of orange juice at the horizon, cold weak tea at the zenith.
There is a singing to the Lord that cannot be ignored.
Hustle the dog back inside with double biscuits for the inconvenience and head back out for the songs.
An Eastern Towhee uncoils a string of notes far more intricate and joyful than the traditional mnemonic "Drink your Tea". It's more like a "drink your cool sweet honey wine at dawn while the sky paints beauty all around" kind of sound.
Warbling Vireo
Two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks chirp round, rich notes at each other, as mellow as Georgia peaches, and sweet as pecan pie.
It's cold out here. The weather guru says 38 degrees, but I think there is ice on the cars. Supposed to hit 70 today but it's gonna take a few hours to get there.
I cannot sleep in. I started getting up stupid early the year Riva Ridge won the Derby. I was not long out of high school and "walking hots" at Saratoga Race Track for the summer.
Green Heron
I had to be there at five, so I had to get up at four to drive to the track. I loved it. There is magic on the backstretch as the sun comes up. Horses galloping or jogging through the mist. Grooms sharing a quick coffee between sets. Grooms buying me coffee because they were nice guys and there were very few girls working there then. I can never forget it. I can also never get over waking up too early.
Milking cows for forty or fifty odd years (some of them very odd) reinforced the tendency. It got into my blood, and in summer I awaken just before four whether I want to or not.
American Redstart
In some ways it is a pain. There are no cows to milk and no Thoroughbred dragons to guide in circles on the walking ring....just a Jack Russell Terrier making his impatience known, and the cold, dark sky.
I have to be quiet so as not to wake the more normal denizens of our abode. Sometimes a more normal hour would be a pleasant change. At least in winter I can occasionally sleep until five or so.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
However, in May it all pays off. Even when it's cold, I can go outside for the singing. Here is a recording of the just the American Robin portion of today's singing....You may need headphones to hear it well. The speakers on my computer won't play it...
Pretty soon everybody else will get up and the birds will get quiet, but for now it's a pretty special time of day.
Yellow-throated Vireo
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