Bird in a Bottle

Last weekend at Hasty Brook wasn't all about the fire. It was also one of the birdiest weekends I've ever spent up there. I'll be stretching it out over a few posts because there was such good birding. One of the first birds I heard was the Veery. A friend recently said the Veery sounds like "a bird in a bottle." That's such a perfect description. Have a listen here. Veeries sing up at Hasty all day and well into the evening. I remember the first time I hear a Veery up there a few years ago. I had never heard such a sound in my life and honestly wasn't even sure it was coming from a bird. That first summer I couldn't even get a look at one to identify what I was hearing. That was when I decided to buy a birdJam (hi Jay!). I spent quite a few hours scrolling through the birdsongs trying to find that magical song. Finally, I found it. I identified the Veery by its song! The next spring, armed with my field guide and knowing finally what a Veery looked like, I caught a glimpse of the Veery. For the next few years I looked forward to hearing its lovely song and I saw them a few times but could never catch a photo.

Last Saturday hearing Veeries all around me I pulled out my birdJam to call one in.

In he came! That Veery flew in and I don't think he left my side the whole weekend.

Sitting on the hill watching warblers, there was the Veery.

Down by the creek, watching the water go by, there was the Veery.

Sitting watching the sunset, listening the the Common Loons fly over to the little lake, there was the Veery.

I walked along the creek looking for wildflowers and there the Veery popped up watching me.

Saturday evening after the fire, and after we washed up and had our dinner Art and I found a spot to sit and relax, a spot where we couldn't see the blackened grass and brush and trees.

The air was soft and the light was golden. The Veery flew in and sat in the spruce just a few feet away. And he sang.

I like to think he was singing of spring and new life.