Spring Rain Refreshes a Desert
Springtime in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in southeastern California. Cacti and wildflowers glisten with raindrops, and birds begin to sing. A House Finch, a Bewick's Wren, a Cactus Wren, a Mourning Dove, and this Costa's Hummingbird all add their sounds.
The soundscapes featured in today's show were recorded by Gordon Hempton and provided courtesy of QuietPlanet.com.
BirdNote®
Spring Rain Refreshes the Desert - Anza Borrego
Written by Bob Sundstrom
This is BirdNote.
[Sound of rain falling]
A light April rain falls in the Anza Borrego Desert, in southeast California. Cacti and wildflowers glisten with raindrops, and birds begin to sing. [Anza Borrego finch and wren sounds]
The sweet, jumbled notes of a House Finch rise above the sound of the rain. [Song of House Finch] A Bewick’s Wren buzzes then breaks into exuberant song. [Bewick’s wren sings]
A Cactus Wren joins the chorus, standing atop a barrel cactus, calling gruffly…. [Cactus Wren notes, a harsh 5-7 note rapid sequence]
A Costa’s Hummingbird hovers at a cactus blossom, beating the air with thrumming wings [hummingbird wing sounds]. A Mourning Dove coos [coos].
Spring rains rejuvenate the desert. [Sound of rain falling]
Sounds for today’s BirdNote were recorded by Gordon Hempton. You’ll find a link to his work on birdnote.org. I’m Michael Stein.
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Sounds of the desert recorded at Anza Borrego Desert State Park [California] by Gordon Hempton, soundtracker.com. Featured call of Morning Dove provided by Macaulay Library at Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, recorded by W.R. Fish.
Producer: John Kessler
Executive Producer: Chris Peterson
© 2015 Tune In to Nature.org May 2017 / April 2020 Narrator: Michael Stein
ID# desert-01-2011-04-07
Bob Sundstrom
Writer
Michael Stein
NarratorSights & Sounds
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