Back in Gray

As promised, today’s weather returns to a semblance of normalcy. The accurate weather app tells me it’s 29 and sleeting, but the air is empty so I sit out under the clouds (I’m not a total masochist: I remove to the covered porch when there’s precip.).

I’m out a bit early, given that we are finally seeing the clock run backward for these dawn sits. Good call, as TR starts up a litany of croaks and honks by 6:58.

Nothing until 7:07 AM, and then a lot of commotion from out in the Gap somewhere. Canada Geese soon stream into view, some tumbling and almost tangling wings as if in a hurry to get away from whatever disturbed them. Three small flocks, as well as two groups of Mallards.

Continuity

A faintly singing American Robin reminds me of the beginning of the year. At 7:10, the tannery raven moves its croak to a higher pitch. On it goes, until a long train passes and it switches back to honking, the only bird sound I can hear over the roar. Finally, at 7:21, it flies right and out of sight, then I see it to my left, croaking again; having made a wide swing around town, it’s now heading up either Bald Eagle Creek or the interstate.

HOFI is a bit early today, 7:24 AM. Still the same House Finch, still the same flight path. I don’t hear the main body of them start up again until 7:40.

A dog-walking neighbor decides to leave his car engine running while he goes inside for a bit, and that pretty much blots out several minutes of wake-up calls.

The Northern Cardinal seems to have more energy today. I never see it (there are probably two), but its constant ticking, which starts at my 3, by the river, is still going on 25 minutes later, at my 12. It even emits a somewhat musical ‘chuck-chuck-chuck’ at one point, but with no follow-up.

The Downy Woodpecker sounds off, number 15 and last to get going, just as the ice finally arrives at 7:45. But it never really turns into anything. Right around that time, six species are calling at once, the most I’ve heard this quiet winter: American Robin, House Sparrow, European Starling, Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Northern Cardinal.

---

F*ck Capitalism!

I’m off for a brisk walk to the pond.

Three Common Mergansers zoom overhead toward Tyrone, a Red-tailed Hawk soars from mountain to mountain, and random Mallards are on the river and on the wing.

But the pond will have to wait a bit. As usual, the tracks are blocked by a crawling train, its cars coated with a half-century or more of vernacular art from three countries. Graffiti styles range from the simple marker message to multicolored panoramas worthy of a graphic novel. Much of the language is opaque; some is easier to understand:

Dough Alone / Old Habits Die Hard / Croke / Dark / See you in hell my friend / The world isn’t pretty / Suero (with drug paraphernalia) / and what looks like a pretty recent entry, F*ck Capitalism!

Meanwhile, a fourth merganser goes over, and I become aware of starling song on the metal tower above me.

The train finally gone, the pond comes into view. Nothing but Mallards. I wonder if the American Wigeon has finally moved on?