Rite of Spring
Rite of Spring
There has been a rite of spring occurring over our home for the last several nights. The Tundra Swan have been leaving Lake Mattamuskeet in North Carolina and migrating northward over Virginia. They migrate at night in long undulating V shaped flocks and are usually several thousand feet in the air by the time they pass over our home. They keep up a constant conversation amongst themselves while flying which can be heard from many portions of the sky at the same time as different groups wing by. There has been enough moonlight most nights that we can see the white translucency of their wings as they pass over. Occasionally we will also see smaller dark shapes of ducks zipping in and around the larger swans calling in softer pips and whistles. We are hoping to hear the sand hill cranes which often fly over at night on their way to the Midwest within the next week or so.
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Re: Rite of Spring
thanks, what a special thing to witness.
wish I could hear-see them too.
tansy
wish I could hear-see them too.
tansy
shy the blond water
- MTGuru
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Re: Rite of Spring
Ah, so that's what this is about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gZbMOq_Ge8
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Re: Rite of Spring
There is no "Chosen One" in this rite. You would need to talk to the Druids about that.MTGuru wrote:Ah, so that's what this is about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gZbMOq_Ge8
- mutepointe
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Re: Rite of Spring
We live by a river and get to witness Canadian Geese in formation regularly over our house. Swans, you are indeed a lucky duck.
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白飞梦
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Re: Rite of Spring
They're American geese.mutepointe wrote:We live by a river and get to witness Canadian Geese in formation regularly over our house.
And now there was no doubt that the trees were really moving - moving in and out through one another as if in a complicated country dance. ('And I suppose,' thought Lucy, 'when trees dance, it must be a very, very country dance indeed.')
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C.S. Lewis
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Re: Rite of Spring
You could say that about the bacon as well.s1m0n wrote:They're American geese.mutepointe wrote:We live by a river and get to witness Canadian Geese in formation regularly over our house.
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Re: Rite of Spring
I seldom see Canadian Bacon in formation regularly over our house.Innocent Bystander wrote:You could say that about the bacon as well.s1m0n wrote:They're American geese.mutepointe wrote:We live by a river and get to witness Canadian Geese in formation regularly over our house.
Note, I say seldom.
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Dr. Mierzwiak: Well, technically speaking, the procedure is brain damage.
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Re: Rite of Spring
They're abundant on Bude Marshes (assuming that you're talking about Canada geese). They are introduced here but are thriving like mad. It isn't a migration thing - they live here all year round. Their daily en masse formation flights from one wetland to the next are spectacular.s1m0n wrote:They're American geese.mutepointe wrote:We live by a river and get to witness Canadian Geese in formation regularly over our house.
The first birdie sign of spring round here is the return of the sand martins, usually around 7 March, followed by a few early wheatears on the sea-cliffs before the main flush. I haven't seen any sand martins yet though I'm looking every day. I think the African bush telegraph must have alerted them to the fact that it's still a bit chilly this end.
"Last night, among his fellow roughs,
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
Re: Rite of Spring
Irishers in the east of England like Canada's. Cam Canada's. My oldest girl's grandmother could clear a five foot fence with a Canada in her mouth. Came in handy while hunting across private property lines.
BTW there are still "real" Canada geese(migratory) in Virginia and West Virginia, ya can tell 'cause they don't hang out at the mall.
BTW there are still "real" Canada geese(migratory) in Virginia and West Virginia, ya can tell 'cause they don't hang out at the mall.
Last edited by dwest on Wed Mar 10, 2010 7:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Doug_Tipple
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Re: Rite of Spring
Sandhill cranes flying in multiple formations high over the city are a fairly common sight here in Indianapolis. I always hear their sound first, and then I look up to try to get my eyes focused on the V formations. Sometimes they go round and round in circles, probably gaining altitude on thermals over the city. We have a state forest with lakes in northern Indiana where thousands of sandhill cranes stopover and feed for weeks at a time every year. It is a sight to be at one of the small lakes at evening to watch the groups of birds fly in to roost from every direction.
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Re: Rite of Spring
Here in Oxfordshire it's chiffchaffs that are the first heralds of spring - at least for me. They're due in the next week or so. My ears are already straining to hear the first one. Nowt as yet (unsurprisingly).SteveShaw wrote:The first birdie sign of spring round here is the return of the sand martins, usually around 7 March, followed by a few early wheatears on the sea-cliffs before the main flush. I haven't seen any sand martins yet though I'm looking every day. I think the African bush telegraph must have alerted them to the fact that it's still a bit chilly this end.
Cheers
David
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David
I can resist everything except temptation - Oscar Wilde.
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Re: Rite of Spring
Chiffchaffs have taken to overwintering around here. You occasionally get to hear little snatches of song all through winter near Bude Canal, but the proper song (probably from returnees) usually starts around late March, drives us nuts 'til mid-July, has a rest 'til September then has a final fling. They're getting bolder too, these days collecting nesting material from the dead stuff in my window boxes.
"Last night, among his fellow roughs,
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
- Hotblack
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Re: Rite of Spring
Steve, do you know how well they've coped with this cold winter?SteveShaw wrote:Chiffchaffs have taken to overwintering around here. You occasionally get to hear little snatches of song all through winter near Bude Canal,
Cheers
David
I can resist everything except temptation - Oscar Wilde.
David
I can resist everything except temptation - Oscar Wilde.
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Re: Rite of Spring
I must admit I haven't heard any all winter and I've been to the place a good number of times. There's an old bloke round here who carefully logs all first-and-last bird sightings, but I haven't seen him for over a year either! I should think that horrible freeze-up in January was pretty bad for 'em. The wrens are quiet at the moment too and you wonder whether they suffered as well. On the upside, the party of long-tailed tits that have taken to dominating my feeding station all winter seem to be doing really well. Summat to do with eating me out of house and home I suppose. One of 'em keeps attacking its reflection in my kitchen window.
"Last night, among his fellow roughs,
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!
He jested, quaff'd and swore."
They cut me down and I leapt up high
I am the life that'll never, never die.
I'll live in you if you'll live in me -
I am the lord of the dance, said he!