Lullibies, Arias and Conversation

Sometimes when you experience an illness or you are caring for someone else who is sick, time as you know it stops and you find yourself dancing to an unfamiliar pace and rhythm. But you also find yourself with more opportunities to stop, rest, notice your surroundings and get your bearings. Sometimes it’s just a matter of finding the right music station.

Last night, I found one of those opportunities and it was nothing short of magical for me. It was one of those rare nights in Fl where the nights are cooler than the days so our windows were flung open. With the windows open the night came in. The moon was sweet. I mean that its light tasted sweet to me. No longer full the glow still filled the yard and spilled into our room. The first sound of the evening that came forward from the crickets and occasional frog was the Chuck wills widow, from the Nighthawks and Nightjar family (Caprimulgidae) …strange name with a strange, haunting and almost lonely sound. The bird calls its name over and over. Distant at first and soft, growing to a very loud call as it flew and landed closer to our window. After awhile the call stopped and picked up again farther and farther away. When we could no longer make it out I thought I heard the distinct call of an Eastern Screech-Owl, a whistled trill on one pitch…very romantic and soothing. I wonder if it was a call to a mate. Like the bird before, the call faded and for a moment I thought I heard the wind. Then an old resident spoke up, our Great Horned Owl. I could tell from the volume that this bird was in the distance and not in his usual roost in the slash pine behind our house. This bird was also alone. At dusk we are accustomed to hearing them call to one another.

Sleeping is so over rated when you have an opportunity to experience the night. Take someone you love on a moon walk some evening. Or stay up all night on a full moon. Children especially enjoy this adventure, as do I. Chances are you will be just as eager to see who wakes up first; although this morning there was such a flurry of activity it was hard to tell.

Just before the sun came up a murder of fish crows flew NW across the face of the moon that was just beginning to set. Herons and egrets rose from their sleep and set off toward the beach. I spotted the jay on her nest right away with its mate close by. As always our mockingbird got to work right away with his collection of songs. Then, I tried to follow a downy woodpecker on her breakfast rounds in the oak.

In the flowering oaks I heard the songs of warblers including a northern parula, a black and white and a palm warbler. Across the yard catbirds enjoying the berries on the firebush and cardinals were flying through the brush. Can you imagine the nest building going on? An incredible explosion of activity compared to those cooler, darker days just a few weeks ago. What a beautiful day to be alive! I wonder what music I will hear tonight.