I recently installed the Merlin app on my phone and I have quickly become obsessed with it. What the app does is to allow you to record the birds in your area and then it identifies which birds they are by their songs and birdcalls as it’s recording. I have been quite surprised by the number and variety of birds that live in the magical forest behind my home. While sitting on my patio each morning, I am learning their routines and am beginning to differentiate between some of their tweets and trills and lively, little tunes.
CARDI (Northern Cardinal) and CAROL (Carolina Wren) run the neighborhood that is my magical forest. They are up bright and early every morning before the sun rises. They get busy getting the family up, making breakfast and maybe some sack lunches for later. They get their kids off to school, their hubbies off to work and then they clean up their nests. By about 7am, Cardi and Carol meet for their morning coffee and gossip time. They are sometimes interrupted by their friend JAY (Blue Jay) who doesn’t think much of their gossiping and sets about squawking to get them to stop. But the girls just laugh at him and continue. How not to gossip about MRS. TITMOUSE (Tufted Titmouse)? She’s a pretty comical head of the HOA, handing out violations to all and sundry. She does love her whistle. MR. CROW (American Crow) is never pleased with Mrs. Titmouse’s rules. He shouts over her frequently and loudly. Everyone in the neighborhood knows what he thinks.
On some days, Carol and Cardi receive special visitors. Today for example, MAYOR MOCKINGBIRD (Northern Mockingbird – Texas State Bird) came by for a chat. I think he was actually trying to sell his diamond ring to one of them, but I’m not sure if that worked out. Knowing the Mayor, it was probably made of glass. But I’m sure he left his latest campaign re-election sticker for them before he left. 🪶Vote for Mayor MOCK-yeah-ING-yeah-BIRD-yeah🪶
Carol and Cardi got back to their own work after that.
I heard some knocking a little bit later on. WOODY (Red Bellied Woodpecker, of course) was out for a rare stroll, but the girls must have been out running errands because I didn’t hear them answer him. So Woody just went back to his own neck of the woods, I guess. Hopefully he’ll come back tomorrow. I always like his stories.
This evening, the neighborhood got together for a block party. The VIREO cousins (White Eyed Vireo and Red Eyed Vireo) came with a caterpillar cassarole and HAWK (Red Shoulderd Hawk) brought some fresh fish. But ROBIN’s (American Robin) spider pie had everyone wanting more. I often wonder if Robin is trying to catch something besides spiders when she bakes….maybe a husband? Being single in the magic forest must be hard.
After dinner, there was an impromptu sing-a-long. Cardi, who knows the most songs, led the group and the others chimed in as they could – like Mr. Crow putting out those bass notes as he cleaned up the leftovers. All too soon, their songs could no longer be heard. A Cicada family reunion had begun nearby and once the Cicadas begin, you may as well save your own voice. The night’s final performances will be held just over the fence. Yes, “Singing Toads Nightly”, are back for the summer.
Tomorrow will be another busy day for the birds, and all the other critters as well, in our magical forest. Carol and Cardi will start things off early. Family, friends and perhaps some special guests will appear. We haven’t seen PHOEBE (Eastern Phoebe) or MRS. KITE (Mississippi Kite) lately. Maybe they will come for a visit. I’d love to hear what they’ve been up to.
The Merlin app is available in the Play Store if you would like to download it for yourself. Besides identifying the birds where you are, it also shows you great pictures of your birds – I used them in this post – and you can upload your own pictures if you have them.
In My Rurality 
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