Font ResizeSwirls of clouds above
parade across clear blue skies.
Nature on review.
-- by Harry Morgan, Pleasanton
Dear Gary: I'm always amazed to read about the people who write in to your column to complain about "noisy" wild animals (these mockers are big squawkers, etc.)
Personally I love the sounds of mockingbirds, Pacific tree frogs, owls and others singing through the night, and have no problem going to sleep to and through their songs.
I understand everybody has different sleeping habits, but come on! Cutting down trees? Earplugs?
I wonder how all these animals feel about our lawn mowers, hot rods, loud music, motorcycles, airplanes and all the other noise pollution we cause while they are trying to sleep?
I think we all need to respect and admire the voices of nature.
Kevin
Livermore
Dear Kevin: I couldn't agree with you more on that subject.
I suspect the myriad wild creatures that live around us, because of their more sensitive hearing, are much more affected by human-generated noises than we humans are bothered by their little peeps, cheeps and occasional "meep, meep, meets."
We tend to forget that noise travels in many directions.
Dear Gary: Wanna hear another good one?
A week later all heck broke loose it seems.
Three days ago we refilled our three hummer feeders and today we've had to refill two of them already. They seem to move around in groups.
Back in the early 1970s I was working for the city of Pleasant Hill and we were riding around on Pleasant Hill Road where there was a field of yellow flowers. There must have been 100 hummers in a swarm getting into those flowers. I've never seen anything like that before, or since.
We stopped the truck for at least 20 minutes and just watched them move from flower to flower and then, as quick as you could blink, they were gone.
Stan
Concord
Dear Stan: I'm starting to get more and more reports, like yours, that hummingbirds (and other birds) are starting to return to yards that have been missing them.
Hopefully local bird life will soon be back to normal ... whatever that is.
Wish I had been there with you to see that huge flock of hummers!
A final note
I'm taking a break. I'll be back here for our usual morning cup of coffee together on June 28. While I'm gone, my editor will print some of my favorite columns from the past. I'm off on a trip and will bring back some interesting stories. See you June 28!
Contact Gary Bogue at garybug@infionline.net; or write Gary, P.O. Box 8099, Walnut Creek, CA 94596.
