As summer is now waning and the hours of daylight are rapidly declining each day, we are all noting some changes in nature. Early mornings are a bit cooler, often with areas of fog. Raspberries and blackberries hang ripe on the branches, inviting pickers of various kinds. And the trees hold a tint of color in the yellows of birches and the reds of dogwoods. Birds have hushed the songs of early summer and now we hear only a few calls as they gather in family groups, preparing for the migration soon to come. Though nearly all birds have ceased their singing, there are exceptions.
Throughout the summer, I have enjoyed early morning walks. Regardless of the weather, these morning hours are a pleasant time to walk and take note of what is happening in the world of nature today. During June, this was the occasion of myriads of bird songs. On a regular basis, I could hear at least twenty kinds as each species added its tunes to the new day. Dawn is usually calm, and so their proclamations of territorial ownership could be heard far in every direction. Warblers, vireos, thrushes, flycatchers, blackbirds, sparrows and finches all let their avian neighbors know that they had staked claims to these breeding sites and they should be left alone. Within this location, their nests were constructed and families raised; the nestlings became fledglings as they left their homes. Singing, regularly mixed with finding food to keep everyone fed, makes the long days of June very busy for these breeding birds.
As June moved into July, and the days started to get warmer and shorter after leaving the solstice, the bird songs also changed. I noticed fewer singers during the dawn walks of early July. By late in the month, only five kinds were still singing daily: yellowthroats, red-eyed vireos, wood peewees, song sparrows and indigo buntings. These lingering songsters represented various groups: warblers (yellowthroat), vireos (red-eyed vireo), flycatchers (wood peewee), sparrows (song sparrow) and finches (indigo bunting). With the thick and rich roadside plant growth and the trees in full foliage, I usually did not see the singers themselves.
After 31 days of temperatures mostly above normal, July exited and we began August, still in the established warmth. August also started with plenty of rain. The wet and warm conditions invited a great growth of fungi, and water-loving critters thrived. Despite the temperatures, the days continued to shorten. And the bird songs declined. By mid-August, I was hearing only three species still singing. The song sparrows and yellowthroats ceased their tunes, though still seen, while each day I consistently noted the red-eyed vireos, wood peewees and indigo buntings. Now as this summer month is waning, this persistent trio still adds notes to the late season dawns. It's as though this threesome is trying to stretch out the summer to keep it from cooling into fall. Their nests and family-raising are only a memory, but still the songs continue.
Exactly why a few kinds of birds would continue to sing at this time is not known for sure. Perhaps they feel that they need to keep proclaiming a territorial site not so much for nesting as for feeding. All three sing from high treetops. Both the red-eyed vireos and wood peewees are rather drab-colored, but the male indigo buntings are deep blue and quite a handsome bird (though females are gray-brown and "sparrow-like"). Despite their continuous singing, these three will soon be moving and heading to the south, mostly gone by early October. But let's enjoy the continuous singing of this persistent trio while they are still with us even though summer is slowly slipping away.
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Retired teacher Larry Weber is the author of several books that are available now, including "Butterflies of the North Woods," "Spiders of the North Woods" and "Webwood." Contact him c/o budgeteer@duluthbudgeteer.com
