#phenology, for the birds?

We are rapidly approaching the dates in late May after which, in prior years, we have no photos of scarlet tanagers. Will this year be different?

late May, male scarlet tanager

Photo by J. Harrington

According to Audubon, our location in East Central Minnesota is well within the common breeding area for this species, but they seem to disappear from our environs near the end of May. The male's colors are brilliant enough that I doubt we'd fail to notice them if they were still around. Perhaps we've been insufficiently tempted to get a picture or two later in the Summer, thinking we already have some. This year we're putting ourselves on notice to watch, keep a camera handy, and take pictures if the tanagers and orioles are at the feeders in June, July and August.

Although we've seen numerous forsythia and lilac bushes in beautiful bloom this month, none of ours have shown any flowers. We're not sure if it's going to turn out to be a delayed blossoming or if this year is a loss for our bushes. Again, we'll have to wait and see. Perhaps the cooler, wetter weather this Spring has excessively affected our local microclimate. Aldo Leopold has written, in A Sand County Almanac,

“One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds. Much of the damage inflicted on land is quite invisible to laymen. An ecologist must either harden his shell and make believe that the consequences of science are none of his business, or he must be the doctor who sees the marks of death in a community that believes itself well and does not want to be told otherwise.”

We believe that each year there are fewer of us with an ecological education that live alone, but there are not yet enough of us to convince each community it needs to engage in more and more healthy behavior to provide any sort of future for our children by allow earth to heal its wounds, with our help. Learning to pay attention, we think, comes prior to and is a precondition for learning to think like a mountain.

The Scarlet Tanager

By Richard Hunt

ALL through the silent summer day

He sings “Ke-i, ke-o, ke-ay”—

A rich wild strain that sounds to me

Like bugle-notes of anarchy.

O black and burning scarlet one,        5

You flare and flicker, like the sun

Against the black void’s freezing breath:

Like life triumphant over death.

I see you burning in a tree;

From tree to tree you flame and wave:        10

You wave the blood of liberty

Against the black shroud of the brave.

You flare and flare, you call and call,

Amid the dim leaves’ emerald shade.

Your note’s a love-note after all!        15

Of love your scarlet flame is made!

********************************************
Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.