One thing about having coffee in the evening, I'm almost guaranteed to be up before the birds the next morning, and so it was this morning. Sitting on the porch with a cat on my lap, I was treated to some special sights and sounds, beginning with my first WHITE-THROATED SPARROW of the season. Hearing those clear little notes (which many field guides liken to "Old Sam Peabody Peabody Peabody") on a calm quiet morning when the sun is still looking for its slippers under the bed, is one of my favorite bird moments.
Later, when the sun was barely up, I watched the ever-amorous male mourning dove chase an ever-evading female around the red maple (she must relent eventually). Next a male common grackle began displaying extravagantly to a female, his head bowed, his wings and tail fanned out like an opera cape...but any potential success his might have had was interrupted by two black squirrels racing up the trunk.
Then as the morning got underway, the gentle song of the sparrow was lost among the fr
iendly neighborhood music of dogs and children playing, of lawnmowers buzzing. Time for me to start my day, too, but not before I took a photo of Pearl standing in the rainbow light from the suncatcher.Note on the post title. Some of you may remember this song from the 1969 movie, The Sterile Cuckoo, starring Liza Minelli. (I can still picture the venting-under-the-train-bridge scene after 40 years!) Anyway, this song was recorded by a group called The Sandpipers (better known for their hit, "Guantanamera." If you're a movie music buff, and/or you'd like to listen to it again, here's LINK to YouTube.
Photo of white-throated sparrow from Wikimedia Commons
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18 comments:
love your descriptive phrases giving deeper meaning and coloring to the beginning of your day
A nice post. That picture of Pearl is priceless.
I enjoyed the link too - very much. thank you.
Beautiful post, as always, love the picture of Pearl! The song was a favorite of mine -- thanks for the link. Have a great weekend!
Great movie, and I hadn't thought of the song in years.
Unfortunately, it's Guantanamera that hatched an earworm.
Ha! Made me think of Pearl playing "Twister". Isn't that a White-crowned sparrow? We have a pair - call them Lance and Sheryl because the heads look like bike helmets. Of course Sheryl is no longer appropriate.
@Kat - that's not the best photo of a white-throated sparrow, and they are often confused with a Lance-and-Sheryl sparrow (LOL!)
Hi Deb, I didn't have coffee last night---but since it got so warm here (yeah), I had the windows open all night. The birds woke me up at 5:45. They are singing like crazy that time of day... GORGEOUS!!!!!
Glad your spring/summer birds are returning...
Hugs,
Betsy
The birds here start before daylight...I guess they are singing the sun up. It sure isn't long before we hear all the manmade noises on the weekend, is it?
one blue paw. beautiful Pearl. The venting under the bridge scene is the one I remember best! and the songs... really takes me back
It is a chilly Autumn morning here on the Mornington Peninsula, Australia. (I am still in my dressing gown typing away!) So your photo of Pearl in the colours of your Saturday morning warmed my soul!
It sounds like a perfect morning! I love the sound of the White Throated Sparrow. Love the rainbow prism lights on the rug with the cat looking at it!
Early morning sure does offer its share of wonders. That's a lovely capture of the cat walking in the magic light!
We are at Pelee this weekend and I heard the song of these lovely sparrows all day. There is also a crowd of chipping sparrows. Beautiful day for sure! (missed the storms)
Lovely post- I adore early morning- I am up by 4 AM every day just to savor it before real life sets in. I'll remember that line about the sun still finding its slippers!
I used to play that song on the piano as a kid-it was the first memory that hit when I saw this post!
Dear Deborah--
I loved this post--ah!!
Watched 'Fly Away Home' last night with Andy and his 3 young sons--if you haven't seen it, you'll love it. I remembered the story, you probably will too. Makes one's heart warm!
Happy Sunday to you--
I will never read a better justification of late night coffee.
I can hear the birds and smell the coffee in your post! :)
Pearl is a gorgeous kitty! Marvin says hello! (or meow)
Hope you had a nice weekend. Ours was seriously broiling 88 degrees on Sunday, and today & tomorrow are supposed to be similar (broily) with temps almost to 95. And it's April. if this continues it'll be 137 or so by August. whoever doesn't believe in global warming.... our hummingbirds come back from migration VERY early now and I see very few geese Vs flying over . Birds are really affected by the weather ~ they hang out in my yard on the hottest days when I put a drip fountain out there. They line up to play in the water all day. Last year my hummingbirds were still here in October, because there were still 85 degree days.
I worry about the birds and global warming.
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