The Ruby-crowned Kinglet … a tiny avian jewel with a scarlet patch on its crown (usually not visible) … is one of my favorite birds, primarily because of it’s sprightly cheerful song — a series of very high notes followed by a rambling jumble and ending with a silly-sounding chant:
Ruby-crowned King – two songs each of two different males (from Quebec and northern New York). © Lang Elliott.
Although breeding in the Canadian northwoods, migrating ruby-crowneds are quite vocal, the males singing excitedly as they flit from limb to limb in search of insects in the forest understory or among shrubs and small trees in hedgerows, along creeks, or at forest edge. They may even be heard sounding off from thick vegetation in city parks, and sometimes along suburban sidewalks!
Today I heard my first kinglet of the year. I went walking barefoot in a small park next to a gurgling brook (near downtown Ithaca, NY), when a kinglet’s sprightly notes fell gently upon my ears:
A Taste of Spring (a poem by yours truly)
barefoot in the park at dawn,
grass beneath my feet so green,
forsythia is blooming strong,
daffodils are singing free.
what was that? across the street?
among the trees along the creek?
a kinglet’s rambling, silly song?
here downtown? might i be wrong?
o frabjous day, he sings again!
with kinglet doth my day begin!
how joyous is this taste of spring,
elixir to my wintered heart,
the kinglet’s wanton will to sing,
enlivens flowers freshly start.
© Lang Elliott
Frabjous day indeed! A Ruby-crowned Kinglet’s songs lift my spirits and send me smiling into the day!
p.s. thank you Brian Small for the use of your photo!
One of my favorite songs, always makes you smile and be glad. Of course it doesn’t hold a candle to the White-throated Sparrow. Dick
I too love the white-throated sparrow’s whistles, but they don’t qualify as being in the “silly” category, as does the sprightly little song of the r-c kinglet. When I had the kinglet song, I smile and chuckle at it’s bouncing notes. When I hear the white-throats song (at least here in Ithaca, NY during migration), I think of the north woods bog lands and wish the singer safe travel in the days to come.
Lang:
So glad your site is back up and running….a real jewel. I am trying to do my small part to inspire folks as well…technical question for you re gear as I am getting more into video with my dslr – what model Zacuto do you use for your video work?
Thanks, and keep up the inspiring work.
Hi there Mike! These days, for bird video work, I use a Panasonic Lumix GH4 with a Canon 500mm lens. The Lumix EVF is quite good, so no need for a Zacuto EVF, even though I own one. For insects and frogs and other small things, I use a Canon XL-20 camcorder, often with closeup lenses attached.
Hello Lang, I have only just found your site and what you share here is wonderful.
I am a pressed botanical artist and a huge fan of all things nature. How nice to have these sound recordings and poems. Do you record and post in the winter ?
Thanks again,
Mary Lou Fritz
Yes, I will be posting next winter, both videos and sound recordings and what not (poems, etc.). Last winter was gobbled up working on the computer. I’m hoping to have lots more time for nature immersion in the months and years to come.
The Kinglet has eluded me still – even after 5 years of trying to get a better than awful photograph with the crest up! Three years ago we had large numbers of the gold-crowned variety come through but since then I’ve only seen Rubies. We’re in their migratory route, I think as I don’t see them year-round. Anyway, very happy to see you’re back and that we can look forward to more delightful poems and videos. I was just thinking of you and your site the other day when in High Island, Texas I heard several songs – that I… Read more »
Sara: wish I could be there now, on High Island. Sounds like a wonderful place at this time of year.
Enjoyed both the song of the kinglet and the poem! I don’t think I have ever heard this bird.
Betsy: It’s quite a delicacy for those who listen. Where do you live? Perhaps they’re coming through now on migration to more northern areas.