Whip-poor-will on the Massey Survey: June 9, 2022

One of the joys of rising at 3:30 am and driving on a gravel bush road for over an hour is the chance of hearing the Whip-poor-will which often sings at the very beginning of the Massey Breeding Bird Survey. Massey is on the north shore of Lake Huron.

The Whip-poor-will seemingly endlessly repeats its name in the evening and early morning. I remember being kept awake by them at boy’s camp though there are many less about these days. My grandmother claimed that they really say “Purple-rib”.

Whip-poor-will
Whip-poor-will
Whip-poor-will (photo – ebirdr)

Other birds:

Cedar Waxwings
Herring Gull
Scarlet Tanager (male)
Cedar Waxwings

Area scenes:

White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Beaver lodge

Some botany:

Cinnamon Fern
Bird Vetch (Vicia cracca)
Speckled Alder (Alnus incana)
Interrupted Fern
Willow (Salix)
Red Maple (Acer rubra)
Reindeer Lichen
Showy Lady-slipper (Cypripedium reginae)
Showy Lady-slipper (Cypripedium reginae)

NATURE POETRY

And since all this loveliness can not be Heaven,
I know in my heart it is June.            – Abba Goold Woolson (1838-1921)

Miles Hearn

3 thoughts on “Whip-poor-will on the Massey Survey: June 9, 2022

  1. Gloria James

    Thank you for the photos of the Whip-poor-will. I have heard their song, but have never identified one. In the Haliburton area ferns grow which are called bracken. Or Is bracken just a generic name for ferns?

    Reply
  2. Kathy Edgar

    Such beautiful pictures Miles. And so lovely to hear of the whip-poor-will.
    The picture of the cedar waxwings reminds me of our cabin. They perch at the top of a dead tree like the one in the photo and swoop down over the lake in the early evening, catching dinner on the wing.

    Reply
  3. rosemarie fischer

    what a beautiful post,Miles,what a gorgeous place this land is,and how lucky we all are to live in this country!!!!!!!! thank you for all you do…………..

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *