end of migration

now we are entering the last days of spring migration, with the latest birds to move through - mainly Flycatchers (yellow-bellied, willow and alder), Thrushes (Gray-cheeked and Swainson's), some Warblers (Canada, Mourning, Blackpoll). One striking Blackpoll male was singing yesterday, practicing on how to claim a territory when it will be up in the northern boreal forest! it is a very neat song, fun to hear at 45 degrees of latitude North!

it is almost time for me to wrap up my things and move on. maybe inspired by all these northbound migrants, i am also heading to the northern latitudes: i will do some banding in Alaska this summer! so, this is my last posting for this spring. I hope you enjoyed my erratic writing.

I hope to be able to bring pictures to this blog next fall, if a working digital camera could make its way up to Cabot Head. At the very least, I will be back in August 15 for the fall migration season with words to share!

Enjoy summer!
See you in fall!

Stephane Menu
Bander-in-charge

soundscapes

one of the great joys of being in a "remote" research station is to live in a natural soundscape. as birders, we probably use our ears much more than the average people, which opens a very different world and a very fascinationg one. it is sad to think that most people now live in environment that obliterates natural sounds, drowned in a constant roar and hum and buzz of city life...

but here i was, enjoying a calm evening on the porch, reading a book with my ears always open. i was surrounded by sounds, the constant chattering of barn swallows, the plaintive calls of the Veery, the sudden loud trumpet of the sandhill cranes, the raucous conspicuous gull calls, the buzz and the comic boooom of the Common Nighhawk (hawking about in the dusking sky)... And suddenly, a piercing, loud yell came from the wood! if I was keen on drama, I would say a heart-stopping shriek... but by all means, it was something I had never heard before! with sounds of rustling branches, the cry came again a few times... it was certainly not from a bird throat and what came to mind immediately was... BOBCAT!

unfortunately, I couldn't find a recording on the internet (any useful link would be appreciated), but I am quite confident that we were being enthralled by a loud Bobcat! I know from scat and track (especially a perfectly clear paw track from this spring) that bobcats live around and to see one is my ultimate goal at the Station! Now, I could say I am closer to this goal by having heard it!

to stay away from our feathered friends, Emilie, our volunteer from Quebec City, saw her first black bear a few days ago as she was checking the nets: one bear was sniffing a net when she surprised it! it went back in the forest where we couldn't see it, but a few minutes later crossed our road to get away...

so, always keep your eyes and certainly your ears open!