Just after sunset and before full dark, what the Irish call the gloaming,
there were three common nighthawks sounding from the Tahuya River valley
below me. Summer is here!!!

This afternoon an immature black-headed grosbeak has been singing his
grosbeak off. There are already two mature males and two mature females,
pretty well paired off, here now so the immature is trying to muscle in on
someone's lady.... There was a fairly raucous chase through the dogwood
tree and the youngster was chased off.

Two of this year's first crop of little towhees ventured through the willows
this morning. Mom and dad are still feeding the kids the little ones
develop their bravery. Each year the woods here host at least two crops of
kids from each set of parents. Last year one set of towhees got duped into
raising a cowbird. Oh well, that's nature.

The evening chorus of birds is just as amazing to listen to as the morning
songs. And a bit more enjoyed by me as I'm not being awakened at 4:45am to
hear it. The evening bird chorus slowly segues into the frog chorus putting
the world to sleep. Since I've been here I've not heard as many Swainson's
thrushes as I have this year. There are at least 5 calling throughout the
valley each evening.

Glad I could share this with you city folks listening, instead of bird and
frog choruses, to the city sounds as night comes on.

Mary Hrudkaj
Belfair, N. Mason County