Listening to a Continent Sing

Purple martins fly high overhead here at Ferne Clyffe State Park. I aim the parabola skyward, just trying to hold it steady and collect sounds from whoever is singing up there. How many males I cannot know, but presumably these are older birds singing so as to attract migrant first-year birds to the local nesting colony.

Background

A dog. Distant highway noise. Insects. No other birds are stirring so early.

Photo by John Van de Graaff