April 19, 1984 - Spring's Jubilant Chorus,. It i
April 19,1984
The Suffolk Times
Spring's Jubilant Chorus
By PAUL STOUTENBURGH
I'm almost afraid to say the sun is out
Its brightness in our bedroom aroused
me before six, and seeing we had rain,
rain, rain for the past week, I thought I'd
better take advantage of the day and get
up early. Looking out, the lawn and
pasture sparkled with dew. Every blade
of grass had its own special coating,
telling me it would be wet walking this
morning.
The dog was even enjoying the day
already, for instead of being curled up in
his dog house, he lay alert out on the
patio like some miniature sphinx. He was
overseeing his domain.
As soon as I opened the door, the
jubilant chorus of spring time bird songs
took over. Today's modern home with its
thermal pane, insulated walls and roofs
muffle most sounds from the outside and
so when I opened the door it was like
walking into a music hall of some
wondrous city.
The overpowering robin seemed to be
calling from every tree. Here was one
great songster that everyone can relate
to and everyone should know. Off in the
background all along the hedgerow and
down around the pond the redwings
announced their territory with their
raspy call. High atop a multiflora rose
the lovely high - pitched song sparrow
sang, its head thrown back as it sang its
heart out. A noisy mockingbird sang atop
a pine tree trying to mimic anyone and
everyone. His boisterous song can be
heard often far into the night for he, like
all the rest, is trying to lure a mate. Once
that's accomplished, his mimicking song
will fade away.
Sounds Like Great Recital
The mixture of bird calls at this early
time of the morning reminds you of some
great recital about to begin, each one
practicing his own special part. Of
course, the clear, deliberate call of the
cardinal could be heard as this scarlet
tenor called from atop the big cherry tree
out back. Seems as if he was trying not to
be outdone by anyone. The dog
accompanied me on this early morning
adventure as I walked up back to feed the
animals from the old hay shack and his
presence must have disturbed or alerted
the blue jay for the screams echoed as he
flew away in complete rage. We were
intruding on his territory.
For some reason I didn't hear the
cooing of the mourning dove. Perhaps
there was just too much going on or
perhaps they are already nesting. I see
qa,pn� @v�
��QMTq
pairs flying about so this could be the
case. I'll have to check the evergreens
more closely to see if I can find their
flimsy stick nests. The nests are so
flimsy that often you can see the eggs
right through them.
A pair of mallards took off out of the
pond. They've been paired off for over a
month now. The nest they'll build will be
well concealed on the ground and you'll
never find it just by looking. You have to
stumble upon one by luck and when you
do you'll be scared half to death as the
female flies off in a great burst of speed
and beating wings.
Home a Palace
For those of us who have bird
houses up, you can't escape having the
English sparrow or house sparrow as a
tenant. This poor singer attempts to
announce his new -found home with a
feeble, unmusical call from nearby. To
him his newly -found homestead is a
palace and one well worth announcing to
some receptive female. They love bird
boxes no matter what the color, size or
shape.
Like many of the birds we see, they are
not gaudy in color, but what they lack in
that attribute they make up for in
cheerfulness and their ability to always
be around. No matter what the
conglomerate of birds might be at your
feeder, you'll probably have house
sparrows looking for their share of the
handouts.
By eight o'clock in the morning the
chorus had subsided, but like all actors
there were still those that seemed never
to give up. The redwing atop the cedar
evidently hasn't attracted a mate as yet
and therefore pours out his song,
displaying his red epaulets at the end of
each scenario. A robin somewhere up in
back of the woods sings his heart out. The
hour of the day means nothing to him.
I know for some, early rising is not part
of today's civilized world but in the
springtime on a bright sunny morning,
it's worth that extra effort. Arise and
hear the world rejoicing, Easter is but a
few days away.
Easter Services,,,
(continued from page 1A)
Supper, Saint Peter's Parish Hall; 7:30 p.m.,
Solemn Eucharist to Commemorate the
Institution of the Lord's Supper, Homily,
Blessing of the Chrism, Stripping of the Altar.
Friday: 10 a.m., Ecumenical Children's
Liturgy; 3 p.m., Solemn Good Friday Liturgy,
Veneration of the Cross (San Simeon by the
Sound); 7:30 p.m., Solemn Good Friday
Liturgy. Saturday: 7:30 p.m., Blessing of the
New Fire, Lighting of the Paschal Candle,
Renewal of Baptismal Vows and Unveiling of
the Cross. Sunday: 7 a.m., Sunrise Eucharist
and Homily; 9 a.m., Family Eucharist and
Homily, followed by the decoration of the
outdoor cross and children's Easter egg hunt;
10 a.m., The Lighting of the Paschal Candle,
Solemn celebration of the Holy Eucharist and
Homily (San Simeon by the Sound); 11 a.m.,
Solemn Procession, Sung Eucharist and
Homily.
St. Agnes R.C. Church
Thursday: 7:30 p.m., Mass of Lord's Supper.
Friday: 3:30 p.m., Good Friday Service.
Saturday: 7 p.m., Easter Vigil Service.
Sunday: 7:30, 9:30 and 11 a.m., Mass of
Resurrection.
Clinton Memorial AME Zion Church
Sunday: 7 a.m., Sunrise Service; 11 a.m.,
Divine Worship; 3:30 p.m., Sunday School
"Buds of Promise" Easter program.
Sts. Anargyroi & Taxiarhis Church
Friday: 8:30 p.m., Good Friday Easter
Parade.
SHELTER ISLAND
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
Thursday: 6 p.m., Maundy Thursday
Celebration. Friday: i p.m., Community
Ecumenical Good Friday Service. Sunday: 8
and 10 a.m., The Easter Day Liturgy.
Shelter Island Presbyterian Church
Thursday: 7:30 p.m., Maundy Thursday
Sacrament of Holy Communion and Tenebrae.
Friday: 1 p.m., Community Ecumenical Good
Friday Service at St. Mary's Episcopal Church.
Sunday: 6 a.m., Ecumenical Easter Sunrise
Service at St. Gabriel's Retreat House (bring
breakfast to share after service); 10:30 a.m.,
Easter Festival Family Worship Service.
EAST MARION
East Marion Community Church
Sunday: 9:30 a.m., Easter Service.
ORIENT
Orient Congregational Church
Sunday: 6 a.m., Sunrise Service at Slave
Cemetery on Narrow River Road; 7:15 a.m.,
Breakfast at Congregational Church; 10:30
a.m., Easter Service.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Requests for Easter
Service listings were mailed to all churches in
Southold Town and Shelter Island.)
Page 13A
Photo by Paul Stoutenburgh
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