While browsing an old book on birds, published originally in 1897 with several editions through 1916, my attention was caught by a full color plate of the scarlet tanager and I stopped to read the narrative. The author laments that “the gorgeous coloring has been its snare and destruction. The densest evergreens could not altogether hide this blazing target for the sportsman’s gun, too often fired at the instigation of city milliners…(it) is now only an infrequent splash on our country roads.”
At first I was putting this up to increase awareness that hunting to extinction was well known a long time ago. In the process I realized my own naivete. Buffalo were well on their way to decimation by then and I imagine a lot of other animals, remembered then but unknown to us today, were close to or already extinct. The dodo is a famous example. I have no idea how many birds are long gone. What I am aware of is how devoid of birds is the landscape. Even in the countryside I can’t help but be aware of how few birds I see flying around. In the early morning I’m struck by how silent it is outside. The morning air, I remember as a child in the fifties and even later in the sixties, was filled with a symphony of bird songs. Now I hear a few coos of the morning dove and little to nothing more. Alack and alas. How sad it is.
I wonder if, back then, when thinking of the possibility extinction, the bible provided too much belief that a species could be regenerated and restored as long as we “saved” two specimens of different sex.
Anyway…it’s a rather nice book but I am ready to part with it. If you have an interest see the classifieds here.
The Elusive Scarlet Tanager
I had been waiting all my life to see a scarlet tanager, and this year, on July 6th at about 5:30 pm, I finally saw one. My brother was with me and he can attest to it — there is nothing else that color. We were sitting on the porch of my mother’s house on Chase Street when we both saw a flash of scarlet streak across the lower airspace and land in a rhododendron bush across the driveway. We could see it clearly. We both thought — scarlet tanager. Then, to oblige us in our fervent desire to get a really good look (and as if to confirm for us that it was truly what we thought) the brilliant red male flew up onto the telephone wire right in front of us and sat there for a good five minutes. We gaped and gawked. I’m telling you, it was a scarlet tanager, sure as I’m sitting here typing on my laptop.
I didn’t know that they were hunted for hat decorations. How awful. I read recently that one famous lady of the Edwardian used to go with “clouds of aigrette” which turns out to be numerous white egret feathers. They too were heavily hunted back in the day, but just last summer, C and I were out in the canoe and sure as shooting, but without a gun, we saw one fly up from the meadows and into a tree on the shore. There is no other shore bird that white, and this one was really beautiful.
I think that a few of many kinds of birds still exist and because our town isn’t as built up and polluted and paved as other towns, they come here. We must look inviting with the Retreat Woods and the Meadows and all the fields and woods and waterways around. This summer our yard was full of birds but we think that habitat destruction around us (and a nice vegetable garden out front) drew them to our back garden. We allow a lot to happen there, and having birds stop in is kind of the reward for that.
That said, I worry for all the flora and fauna. I had hoped in the 70s that we would clean up our act with regard to the environment, and in some cases, as with out and out polluting into air and water, we have. But I think we’ve found other ways to mess things up which is a shame.
A good way to see birds is to be near the edges of woodlands, and especially in the spring when they’re mating. Later in the summer we still have birds around but they aren’t quite as riotous.
Commune
I really like this kind narrative about your commune with our ‘fellow’ creatures we share this planet with.
thanks!
I got a million of ’em. When I was a kid I wanted to be a naturalist when I grew up. Now I content myself with noticing nature (and putting myself out there). I have life lists and nature guides. Other than Fall River when I was growing up, this town has the best opportunities for nature watching of any place I’ve lived. We even have shore birds!
Buzzed
This morning, while sitting out on a client’s deck talking web sites, a little female ruby throated hummingbird totally checked me out. She flew at me a few times to see what I was and hovered near my head. We think it’s because I was wearing red — hummingbirds love red flowers. Alas, I wasn’t edible so she went back to the feeder.
Hummingbirds are surprisingly bold for their size. Once while we were in northern Vermont, literally on the Canadian borderline near Richford, a hummingbird hovered at us from just over the line on the Canadian side as if it were some kind of border patrol. It was very funny and also ironic, being soon after 9/11. We joked later that it must have been a gov’t drone of some sort, made to look like a cute little bird…
As you can see, I enjoy the Avian community.
silent mornings
Glad somebody brought up the topic of birds and extinction.
I don’t know that extinction is happening for any of our local species, but there appears to be a decline in the numbers.
We did have a barred owl hooting in the back woods last night which was nice. A friend spotted a pair of bald eagles over the CT River recently, and the wood thrushes behind the house sang every night for about 6 weeks, till July when they usually stop.
All that said, it’s too quiet. Mornings are worst, but I also miss the evening twittering of swifts and others. Occasionally a catbird comes around scolds us while we eat our supper outside. That’s about it.
In the winter, our bird feeder still draws tons of cardinals, chickadees, blue jays, nuthatches, sparrows, and juncos, but there are hardly any finches compared to three or four years ago.
I also have not seen a single large butterfly (monarchs, viceroys, swallowtails . . . ), few crickets and no dragonflies.
The White Butterfly
I’ve seen white butterflies frequently, but I’ve not seen any other variation. I’m sure others are out there, or at least, I hope there are.
There are a good variety of birds here but I hope extinction of them stay at bay.
It does seem a bit quiet
In reading papers from the late 1800’s, one can find a concerted effort to try to change the fashion habits of women. There are reports that fancy hats with birds were popular, but also depleting the woods of many species. Editors were urging women to not put birds on their hats any more, lest they all go extinct.
I’ve seen more hummingbirds this year. Less crows. Have seen blue jays, thrush, robins, cardinals, ducks, geese, sparrows, and such, but mostly near feeders.
Are they readjusting to new climate patterns? Avoiding areas with lots of wi-fi? Losing habitat as more trees get cut down? Left town now that VY closed? Hard to say.
Woodpeckers
I should add: Woodpeckers seem to be plentiful this year, too.
This time of year isn’t as loud as the spring, of course, with mating season over.