Cool Birds In High Heat

This afternoon was as hot as one's own blood, but I rode my bike to the edge of the city for a little nature walk I've heard about. I'll go back again, but there's an environmental education center along Cobbs Creek, in a building that began its life as a stable, built as a WPA project during the Great Depression. The director, who I know, handed me over to his two young assistants, who spoke proudly of the park, the little center, and told me things about the birds who were kind enough to show themselves in the steam bath weather.

I saw common grackles, American robins (who are actually thrushes), red-winged blackbirds, and gray catbirds (my favorites). I learned that when bald eagles are shown on TV and movies, they are usually accompanied by the voice of a red-tailed hawk.

The symbol of the Great and Powerful Oz United States has a simple chirping call.

The red-tailed hawk, which is not too uncommon here in West Philly, has a piercing, tough-sounding shriek.

Perhaps President Obama had these birds in mind when he quoted Thomas Paine in his 1st inaugural address, but without naming Paine, and in such a way that gave the impression that George Washington had written,

"Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive, that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet ."

I just noticed that one year ago, I blipped a Red-tailed Hawk!

I could not get any good bird pictures because they were at a distance and I saw them through binoculars that the guides lent me, but it was cool to walk along the creek, talking about the birds with two young fellows in the summer heat.