The Voice of the Turtle

Have you ever heard the voice of the turtle?

Yes, I know, the phrase "the voice of the turtle is heard in the land..." is from the Song of Solomon and refers to the Turtle Dove, not the reptile. But think about it. Have you ever heard a turtle (the reptile) make a sound? Well, I have. This morning, I surprised a turtle busy munching on something and as I walked up from behind it uttered what I can only describe as a little cry of fright as it pulled its head in.

That was about the most exciting event on a quiet, damp morning. A kingfisher came by on the creek, a relatively unusual event these days. Black-capped Chickdee young are out and, as the family groups move around, the males have started again to sing their two-note song.

I found a small dragonfly -- probably a female or young Seaside Dragonlet -- caught in the mesh of a spider's web. Seaside Dragonlets have been especially common this spring; the males are all black but, like this one, the females and young have a lot of orange/yellow on the abdomen (the long 'tail') and bright yellow-and-black stripes on the thorax (the main body of the insect).

The bush honeysuckle has already developed its red and orange berries even as the Japanese or vine honeysuckle is still in flower. Rambler Rose -- to me the symbol of the old-fashioned seaside countryside -- is in full bloom along with the Spanish Bayonet (or Yucca) even as the Catalpa flowers drop and cover the ground. And the voice of the turtle is heard in the land.

Eric Salzman