Sounds of Summer

The weather was nice enough that while working at home today I set up an office complex on the deck and let the birds serve as my Muzak. Of course this is insulting to the birds. They are much superior to processed cheese sound effects. And experienced birders know that there are more birds to hear than see, even in a back yard setting. Pine Warbler seemed to be calling the most: its staccato cadence is an essential sound for my summer. Over there, I hear the warble of a Red Bellied Woodpecker. And there's a Cardinal... a Chickadee... a Wren... a Downy... Now and then I'll pick out the mew of a Catbird, the singsong repertoire of the Mockingbird, and the quirky call of a Robin. And more rarely still hear a Flicker or a Fish Crow. The birds don't scold me as much after a time here. They quickly get used to me typing away and mostly ignoring them. But every so often a Titmouse or Wren will make some nasal complaint to me. What a wonderful backdrop to the workday!