The strange June pattern of a soaking rain every other day or so is continuing into July at Roundtop. Even when it’s not raining, it’s foggy and overcast, with hardly any sun or even a blue sky. Looking ahead in the forecast only shows more of the same into mid-month at least.
One thing I have noticed that is not the norm and that appears to be caused by the odd weather is that poison ivy is everywhere. This nasty plant apparently thrives in the wet weather. The patches I find are larger than ever before, and I’m seeing the plant in more places than ever, too. Just one more unhappy result from the atypical weather this summer.
The first batch of spring babies have apparently left the nests. I say this because the male wood thrush and ovenbirds are singing again after a month or so of silence. The silence means nesting is going on, and the return to singing means they are likely looking to start a second brood—or at least thinking about it. For me, the return of the wood thrush song, especially, is welcome. I love to hear that sweet song fill the forest, though I don’t often see the birds. Their singing is a lovely summer sound that lasts not long enough for me. And I am fortunate in that I hear the sound more than most people. The birds are common here, and I heard them virtually every day they sing. Even with that, I’d be happy to have the singing be heard constantly until the leaves fall.
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The Wood Thrushes are singing their hearts out here, too, Carolyn. Kali and I took a walk last evening and they seemed to be everywhere. I even have one singing in the woodlot behind my house--I never remember hearing one there in the past; I assumed it was too small to be of interest to a typical forest interior bird. However, one difference--I did not notice a month-long lull in singing like you mentioned; our thrushes have been singing steadily since they first arrived.
Beautiful photo! I was starting to miss the birds' songs when all of a sudden, they started singing their hearts out on Monday. It's good to hear them again.
July has been cool and damp here too. In parts of far northern Maine this morning the temps were in the high 30's. I flat out refuse to build a fire, no matter now small, to warm the house in the morning. July and August will be the only months we don't have a fire this year. brrr
Scott: Hope you survived last night's storm okay!
Robin: Thanks! It hasn't been into the 30's here (or even close) but it's been cooler and wetter than usual. worse, it doesn't actually clear in between storms. It only improves to "not raining but looks like it will start raining any second." Not the normal summer at all.
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