Hermit Thrush Evening Serenade

July 15, 2024 at Beartown State Park, WV.
Shortly before sunset 2 Hermit Thrushes (along with a non-stop Red-Eyed Vireo) can be heard in this video. A jet flew over so high in the sky that I didn't hear it while recording, but my camera did! It does seem to me the Hermit Thrush songs this late in the breeding season might not be quite as "ethereal" or varied as in Spring, but they're still beautiful, of course, and I was happily surprised to hear them still singing in mid-July. The Hermit Thrush is by far my favorite songster, and I treasure every moment listening to them. Possibly these could both be immature males raised this year, maybe even from the same brood, and are still novice singers? But I've found no information that would confirm this.

[@JAYSCHULBERG-b9u]

Thank you Gwen. I put my headphones on and was able to hear them clearly. Such a beautiful song. A beautiful setting also with the sun getting ready to set through trees. I've seen lots of evidence from your videos of what a wonderful area that your home is in. You have such a variety of plants and animals.

[@scherzo12222]

Thanks, Jay. We LOVE this little park. If I was was a raven I could visit Beartown from our house in less than 2 minutes. Before a big area (private land) on Droop Mountain between our place and the park was logged in the 1990's, we used to enjoy hiking to Beartown from home, as we live on the SE end of Droop Mt. But the logging operation obscured the old trails beyond recognition and we have't attempted it since that happened. It's only about a 20 minute drive, but was more of an adventure (although more strenuous!) when we could walk there from here.

[@JAYSCHULBERG-b9u]

@@scherzo12222 Hey Gwen, guess what? I just pulled down a book that I have had in my little book shelf for about 10 years. It is a travel book called "Off the Beaten Path". Entry number 14 for West Virginia is Beartown State Park. It lists the location as Route 219, 7 miles southwest of Hillsboro. There is a photo of a trail that goes between a couple of huge rocks composed of Droop sandstone. It looks like a fall picture. The description refers to it as a "fascinating place" which I'm sure it is. It looks beautiful and sounds beautiful. I also just looked at my atlas and it shows Beartown State Park and tiny a town named Droop. So your closest "big city" must be Lewisburg. About a year ago I watched a youtube video about Lewisburg. I'm not making that up. What an interesting area you live in! You made a really good choice some years to move to where you are. Thanks again for your video.

[@scherzo12222]

@@JAYSCHULBERG-b9u I'm glad you enjoyed the video Jay. "Droop" is listed as an "unincorporated" town, but it's not a town. I'm not sure how that happens. Here's another example. We live near Locust Creek. The only remaining covered bridge in Pocahontas County crosses Locust Creek. You can google " Locust Creek Covered Bridge WV". Recently a sign went up near the bridge that says "Locust Creek Unincorporated"---as though it was a town, but it's not...it's a creek. There was once a grist mill near the bridge, but that's long gone. Yes Lewisburg is the closest city, about 45 minutes from here. Marlinton in our county seat and we'd much rather go there than Lewisburg, if there were more choices as to grocery stores. It's way less hectic than Lewisburg, and it's closer, too.

[@JAYSCHULBERG-b9u]

@@scherzo12222 Yes, this is interesting Gwen because the "no town" thing goes on in Minnesota just like it does where you are in West Virginia. Julie and I lived for several years on the farm property where my mother grew up after we were married in 1972. The property is 6 miles north of Warroad almost right on the Canadian border. My dad bought 160 acres of land in that area along highway 313 one mile south of the U.S. Customs when I was about 5 years old. It cost him $1,600 at the time. Many maps I have seen show that exact spot to be a town named "Longworth". The only thing that I remember as Longworth was a railroad sidetrack for the Canadian National Railroad with a sign next to the track that bore the the name "Longworth". I know that in the 1930's there was a one-room log schoolhouse where my mother attended grade school at that spot but it was long gone when I was a boy. Oh, look at this! I turned your local West Virginia geography into Minnesota history; must be an autistic thing. I found Marlinton In my road atlas(and Hillsboro). I love maps.