by Tim Jones
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Jen Rockett and Sarah
Frost watch the wild ducks circle and wait for the spring evening chorus to
begin by a pond near their homes in Henniker, NH. (Photo by Tim Jones)
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It's spring. Grab a jacket and head out the door and start walking. You'll
have the added pleasure of listening to wild music if your walk can include a
patch of woodland or a path near water. The chorus of spring peepers is
everywhere in New England. If you’re lucky, you can hear the calls of barred
owls or the mating ritual of the American woodcock.
Most folks have a pond with peepers within walking distance of their homes.
Owls live anywhere there are trees with nesting cavities. And woodcock need only
small patches of wet meadows.
You don’t need a lot of gear. Bring a flashlight or a headlamp, but don’t use
it. Instead, let your eyes adjust to the darkness. You’ll be amazed at how much
you can see with only moonlight, starlight, and the ambient light scattered
through the atmosphere. On spring nights, especially after rain, the whole wild
world seems to be swelling with life. The air can almost seem to vibrate. In the
dark, your sense of hearing seems to get sharper.
We’ve all heard it said that, in spring, a young man’s fancy turns to
thoughts of love. As near as I can tell that’s true for men and women, young and
old, as well as for frogs, birds and a good share of the plant kingdom (as
anyone who suffers from tree-pollen allergies can tell you).
The sounds you hear in the spring are all about sex.
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The tiny peeper makes
a big sound on spring nights. (Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
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Peepers
Spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer), are the easiest to hear -- every
pond has its peeper population. Peepers are tiny frogs, about an inch long. The
springtime chorus is the males advertising their prowess. The louder they peep,
the better they are as potential mates. At times, the chorus can be simply
deafening. In the background of the peeper chorus, you’ll often hear other tree
frogs and the trilling of toads. Some people confuse the peeper sound with that
of crickets, who are active in late summer.
Spring peepers are tiny and well camouflaged by their brown/green color and
black X markings.
To catch a peeper requires patience, and a willingness to get damp. At dusk,
move into an area on the edge of water, preferably with grass or low brush, that
you know holds peepers. Pick a spot and sit still until they start calling. Try
to isolate one caller and move slowly closer. He’ll stop peeping, so freeze
until he re-starts. Repeat until you are close enough to flick on your light and
catch him in the act. It’s worth it.
Barred Owls
Barred owls (Strix varia) are both the most common owls in New England
and the most vocal. Mated pairs frequently communicate with territorial rivals,
with each other, with their offspring, and sometimes, it seems, just for the
pleasure of hooting. Almost everyone knows and can easily imitate the familiar
8-hoot call, which has been translated as “Who cooks for you; Who cooks for you
allllll? But barred owls also scream, cackle and whoop like monkeys and drill
sergeants, and mew like kittens. If you’re lucky enough to hear an owl, call
back, imitating what they say. You’ll often be rewarded with a close look at the
hooter.
Woodcock
American Woodcock (Philohela Minor—which translates as “little swamp lover”)
have one of the most delightful courtship rituals in nature. The males stake out
a patch of damp meadow, where they strut almost like miniature turkey cocks.
Then, with a nasal “peent” they launch themselves into the air, spiral up a
couple of hundred feet, and fall like a leaf on the wind, twittering an avian
tone-poem as they fall. It’s wonderful, and no stranger than the human mating
displays you see at any singles bar.
Nighttime expeditions
If you want to make your spring walk into an event, consider the following
options:
State Audubon societies and their local chapters are tremendous sources of
information. Many have wildlife sanctuaries where spring strollers are welcome
and where the habitat in maintained for a variety of wildlife, including the
singers of a spring night. Many offer programs for folks interested in wetland
ecology.
Other local nature centers and programs:
Tim Jones is founder and executive editor of EasternSlopes.com. He writes about outdoor sports and travel.
You can reach him at timjones@easternslopes.com
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The Mountain Life
