While sitting out in my back yard these past few mornings, with the coffee and newspaper, I’ve been struck by the wall of sound from 100’s of birds in the vicinity. Note this was at 8AM or 8:30, well past the dawn chorus.
Has this warm, early spring brought us more than our normal share of birds? I’m not a bird person and generally would be pretty oblivious to our feathered friends … but even I noticed them.
Do any of you bird people out there know if there’s anything unusual going on around here this year with the bird population?
I’ve noticed the same thing. Maybe because of all the insects from the early spring?
A clear sign of the apocalypse. Buy duct tape.
I’m a long-time birder and member of some local bird email lists. I would not say there’s anything unusual about the number of birds showing up this Spring. A few of the neotropical migrants came a little ahead of “schedule” is all. I think you’re just becoming more aware of what has been happening every Spring for millennia!
The birds are very vocal just now, establishing territory here or tuning up for territory competition farther north. I heard a White-Throated Sparrow this morning, trying to remember how it goes – he got “Old Sam! Old Sam!” but couldn’t remember the “Peabody-Peabody-Peabody” part today. He’ll get it.
I would not say there’s anything unusual about the number of birds showing up this Spring.
It’s just unusual that Jerry would notice them
Jerry, I think your first sentence explains it all: “While sitting out in my back yard these past few mornings . . . .” The warm, dry weather is getting people to spend more time outside where they are experiencing more of the early Spring than they would if they were running from to and from the car to avoid the April showers.
This morning my daughter (2.5 y/o) was commenting on all the noise. She liked the Whippoorwills. Insisted they were owls though.
Hey Jerry — Take a look under Echo Bridge — they relieved the water level in the gorge to facilitate inserting the temporary dam. It’s only down 4 feet at the most but you might find Barbie!
@Hoss – I noticed the low water level in recent weeks. I thought that was just due to the very, very dry spring. I didn’t think there was any way to adjust the water height since the horseshoe falls down at Rt 9 look like their fixed.
Maybe I’ll go bother a workman in coming days and see if I can get the 411.
BTW Hoss, you seem to know an awful lot about Echo Bridge and Hemlock Gorge. Are you that guy who’s been sleeping under the bridge recently? How do you get your internet connection down there?
p.s. No sign of barbie yet.
Jerry — There are two runoff dams, right? Each of those is adjustable.
P.S. Pls don’t change your web router channel; it’s perfect from here
Damn herring flies though
And what’s this gadget in the lower picture: http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/newton/2009/06/17/dam-good-information-about-the-charles-river/#axzz1sKSEDked
I assumed that rusty old hardware was some obsolete hardware that pre-dated the horseshoe dam and didn’t do anything. The horseshoe looks pretty fixed to me but I’m just guessing. I hope I’m wrong. I do like the idea of being able to turn the river on and off with a big ol wrench.
Next time I’m down there during the day I’ll try to get whatever (mis)information I can from the work crew and report back.
It looks like the last time they wanted to lower the water level they did it be diverting the flow to the Neponset River via the Mother Brook in Dedham. Maybe that’s what’s going on at the moment.
http://www.universalhub.com/2010/dcr-will-lower-water-levels-charles-river
@Jerry and Hoss. There was a time (I don’t remember when) that the water was damned upriver for some reason and there was absolutely no water flowing over the horseshoe dam.
Jerry — I got some 411. According to a nice guy in a florescent green, gov’t-type vest, the current water level is naturally low. (One point for Jerry.) In fact he said they predict an increase in the water level of 1 inch by Monday with incoming rain. I asked how they will dry up the area to take out the dam and install new dam. His answer involved an A-frame, sheets of plastic, and divers.
Possibly, the dam in this flier is what he was describing? http://www.hcconstructors.com/Constructioneer.pdf
Yeah, that looks like it would do the job. “Divers” might have been an exaggeration. I’d guess that the water’s probably only three feet deep where they need to dam it off.
Thanks for the update Hoss. I love watching these sort off oddball construction projects unfold.
Water levels notwithstanding, the bird sounds in the morning put me in mind of the opening of that WGBH morning radio show hosted by the late Robert J. Lurtsema.