There are several parks along the Thames River in our neighbourhood: Harris Park, Ann Street Park, Gibbons Park, Blackfriars Park North. These are most often our destinations on neighbourhood walks.
Over the summer, we hear resident birds from our balcony – Red-eyed Vireo, Carolina Wren, American Robins, Bluejays, American Crows, American Goldfinch, and, almost always, Canada Geese. We also hear the alarm calls of the Ospreys when intruders fly nearby.
On a recent walk, we were closer than usual to the youngest Osprey as it perched on the nest and then on a low wooden platform close to the river. As the summer progressed, we sometimes had up to 6 Ospreys circling over the river and the neighbourhood.
We last saw the juvenile on July 23, on the nest and calling. There had been two days of rain and thunderstorms. The river was muddy and flowing fast, not ideal conditions for finding fish. After the 23rd, the adult male Osprey was seen on two occasions calling repeatedly from its perch on stadium lights. We wonder if the adult male was looking for the juvenile and we wonder about the fate of the juvenile.
We are sometimes fortunate to see and photograph some of the birds in the neighbourhood.
American Goldfinch breed late in the year, from July through September. This seems to be related to the unusual moult habits of this bird. Late breeding also ensures an abundance of seeds for feeding young. Goldfinches collect down of thistles and other plants to line their nests. We regularly see goldfinches foraging for the seeds of coneflowers in the city gardens we pass.
We have seen fewer Great Blue Herons on the river this summer. This may be due to frequent rains that raise the level of the river and make wading and foraging in the shallows difficult or impossible. We were pleased to see this handsome bird and to watch as it mantled its wings to shade the water and make prey in the water easier to see.
The lights along the river provide perches for birds and sometimes shelter for nests.
Canada Geese are plentiful in the parks, but they also migrate forage in the grass on neighbourhood streets.
One Song: Sloop John B.
I stumbled across the origins of this famous Beach Boys recording. I knew that part of the magic was Brian Wilson’s arrangement working with the Wrecking Crew, studio musicians who were featured in a movie of the same name.
The full story is on Wikipedia.
EARWORM WARNING: 5 VERSIONS OF THE SAME SONG
Here is the folk version by The Kingston Trio.
But before we get to the polished Beach Boys version, here is a modern take by a Newfoundland band.
And here is the Beach Boys version that heard and sometimes sang along to.
But listen to a remastered deconstruction of the recording. In 1966, it was released as a single and included on the album, Pet Sounds.
Many covers versions exist. I really like this one by The Fendertones. It kills me to see how many singers and musicians are required to come close to the sound of the Beach Boys.