"The happening was migration. It was full upon the Northern Hemisphere. The shorter hours of sunlight and lowering temperatures were telling millions of birds to go south. The event had begun in mid-August. The loons, geese, ducks, and shorebirds had heard the message and had left the barrens of Alaska and Canada. A few days later the swallows and swifts felt the change and left the Northeast.
And then it happened. Frightful hopped from limb to limb until she reached the wispy top of the ancient hemlock. She took a bearing on the sun's rays. She fixed on a longitude between ninety and seventy degrees. After many takes, the direction was indelibly printed on her brain. She pointed her head and body along the invisible line. She bent her knees and ankles. She lowered her wings.
Frightful flew. She did not look back. She rode the prevailing wind over mountains and rivers into unknown territory..."
~ Frightful's Mountain by Jean Craighead George (A favorite little trilogy from my school teaching years - My Side of the Mountain, On the Far Side of the Mountain, and Frightful's Mountain)
Safe travels, little ones! We will see you in the spring.
14 comments:
The poor little birds here do not know what to do. We are in a raging heat wave. So unusual for us
Cathy
Such a sweet post! I will have to search out those stories. I think I would love to read more of Frightful's journey. It has become so quiet outside now. It seems it is only the crows, the owls and the cardinals to keep me company now. However, today, a lone hummingbird was lingering at a neglected feeder. I hope she/he hasn't been left behind as the days and nights have turned cool very quickly. Glad to see a post pop up from you. I was wondering if all was well. ~Robin~
It's astounding to think about the distances some birds and butterflies fly during migration. The vultures are starting to congregate on the river outside so I know they'll be leaving for warmer climates soon. Some years we have upwards of a hundred - both spring and fall. Our river seems to be a meeting place.
I am also astounded by those great distances traveled by many birds. A gathering of vultures would be quite interesting.
I'm amazed at the distances migrating birds fly. I was reading that many birds fly at night. That astonishes me but it makes sense if they rely on the stars for direction. I must look it up and see if that's correct.
I think most of the ospreys have left UK now along with the swifts and so many others. It's astonishing to think that the birds that hatched this year will undertake such huge journeys.
Your painting is fabulous.
Our hummingbird residents have dwindled in the last two weeks, but still a few are with us. Goldfinches are busy on the coneflower heads and in the toppling row of sunflowers. I've noted far fewer robins this year. Surrounded by fields of corn and soybeans I have to wonder what pre-emergent weed killers and such are doing to the bird population.
Each day the numbers declined when I counted the landings for nectar on my feeder. Yesterday there wasn't a single one and that was a VERY good thing as we had strong straight winds in the evening that were terrible. They came from the south and actually lifted moisture from the lake into the air. My first thought was that the tiny ones were gone and safe.
WOW that map is just amazing how many birds are migrating back South. We heard the geese this morning. The starlings have been gathering for a bit lately and we dont see them anymore now. The Winter birds are coming in to take their place. The wonder of nature. Janice
I haven't seen any migration of birds yet but then I've had my nose to the grindstone just about every day except Sunday. It's been a very wet summer here in New Brunswick Canada. I worry about what all the forest fires have done to the birds and wildlife. So far we haven't heard much about it.
We are experiencing heat and high humidity. All this drastic change in temperature must be very confusing to the migratory birds.
I love your painting. You are so talented.
Hugs, Julia
My little hummingbird seems to have left. I guess it got a little cool for her. I had one stay through two snowstorms until the 22nd of October. I'm with you, " good luck little ones!"
Wow, great photo of the hummingbird. And that is your painting? It's great! I am going to look up that bird migration map - I would love to look up our birds on it!
We have some of those books at the library, but I've never read them, yet. :)
Waiting to see the jacket after its last transformation!
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