Summer eventide mellows the hues and softens the edges. The last of the summer sun’s rays filter through the trees, scattering the light. The chickens have all gone to roost. It’s a peaceful time to stroll around the pond … peaceful except for the red-winged black bird which sound their loud, buzzy alarms. They nest in the cattails at the edge of the pond. Year after year they come back to raise their young. In some places they form flocks of a million birds or more. Thankfully, not here. They may be the most abundant bird in North America with 250 million birds in peak years.

Red-winged blackbirds live up to 15 years, so many of them nesting at the pond see us walk by every day, year after year. Never once have they ever seen us attack them or go after their nests, and yet, each time we walk by they sound the alert, buzzing about and letting all the birds know danger is at hand.

Perhaps I should be offended, but I’m not. Their buzzing alarm cries are like music, and their songs throughout the day are so enjoyable. There’s no need to wear headphones to listen to music when you’re surrounded by nature. Nature is constantly singing.