May 21 2022 - The Sounds of Summer

 

The sounds of early summer - what are your favourites?   Sizzle of a barbecue Waves breaking on a beach Fireworks Bees buzzing Outdoor music A thunderstorm Crackle of a bonfire Pitter-patter of a rain shower Frogs and birds If you are older, the sounds will include bike bells and the ice cream truck music.  Yesterday, I realized that when I hear house flies buzzing, it means that summer is here. The temperature was aligned, and the  Lilacs are blooming, so it made sense.  What about those house flies?  How is that they buzz so loud? "To generate the buzzing, flies’ wings knock together. The speed at which their wings move determines the frequency of sound waves and the pitch released.  When flies buzz they gain a positive electric charge." And what about all the really silly fly jokes?  Here's the best one: Cockroach: What is 12×13?  Housefly: 156! Cockroach: What is 188×254?  Housefly: 47,752! Cockroach: What is 3541×798?  Housefly: 2,825,718! Cockroach: It’s true, houseflies can multiply very fast!   This ini the long pergola of Wisteria in Jordan.  I expect it to be in full bloom today.  This is from quite a few years ago - the best bloom I've ever seen on it. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

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The Loudest Sounds of Spring

Does every season have sounds?  What are the sounds of Spring?  They are bird songs!  You can find music to tweet to by the National Trust.  Or you can find websites that ask you whether you can hear these sounds and if not, it may mean you need hearing aids.  What are the sounds that are the signs of hearing loss? If human conversation is between 60 and 70 decibels, here are sounds that are the signals: 1. Birdsong  - decibels not available 2. Pattering rain - 50 decibels 3. Rustling leaves - 20 decibels 4. Spring peepers - decibels not available 5. Buzzing mosquitoes - 40 decibels 6. Noisy squirrels - 20 decibels  What is the decibel range of birds?  It turns out it is difficult to decide - some parts of their call are outside the range of human hearing. What is known is that the lyrebird of Australia or the American bittern are the loudest.  I would have thought  it must be over 135 decibels as that is what the Moluccan Cockatoo has been recorded at.  However, they are listed at 101 decibels. There was a Great Horned Owl calling in the night last week in our vicinity.  Did you know that the Great Horned Owl can be heard for over 2 miles? And if the forest turns out to be too quiet to hear, move to the ocean.  The loudest animal on earth is the blue whale and it can generate sound levels of 188 decibels. This can be heard for hundreds of miles underwater.  No hearing aid needed there. I haven't found any loud plants so far.  Here's an orchid.