Starting out from Brooklyn, an amateur naturalist explores our world.
As John Burroughs said, “The place to observe nature is where you are.”
February 23
March 1
March 5
March 8
March 14
March 15 (two views of this one).
April 1, and one I can actually ID: Black-shouldered Dronefly. Note the pollen on this specimen. Flower flies pollinate, too.
Two more from yesterday.
The mysteries of Diptera!
PS: the answer to yesterday’s mystery photo: it’s the toe of an American Coot. Coots aren’t ducks; they don’t have webbed toes. They have lobed toes.
A flea and a fly in a flue.
Poem by Ogden Nash
A flea and a fly in a flue
Were imprisoned, so what could they do?
Said the fly, “let us flee!”
“Let us fly!” said the flea.
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.
I take issue with your answer to yesterday’s mystery photo. My answer was “Jiminy Cricket.” You could just as well have chosen my answer rather than continue the fantasy of April Fool’s Day on April 2, which is not April Fool’s Day. Instead you posted another patently false answer: “it’s the toe of an American Coot. Coots aren’t ducks; they don’t have webbed toes. They have lobed toes.”
The language of poetry is sometimes more precise than that of prose. Here is another example of such:
So let the sun shine in, face it with a grin
Smilers never lose and cheater never win
So let the sun shine in, face it with a grin
Open up your heart and let the sun shine in
Some background:
Open up Your Heart (and Let the Sunshine in)” is a popular song. It was written by Stuart Hamblen. The song was published in 1954.
The biggest hit version in the United States was a recording by the Cowboy Church Sunday School (peaking at #8 on the Billboard charts); in the United Kingdom, by Joan Regan and her son Rusty. Another US recording was made by the McGuire Sisters.
When the Cowboy Church Sunday School version is played at normal speed, 45 rpm, the vocal sounds unnaturally high. When played at 33⅓ rpm the vocal sounds more natural. In fact the song was recorded at that speed by Stuart Hamblen’s wife and adult daughters, so that when played at 45rpm it sounds as if it is being sung by children.
The version sung by the Cowboy Church Sunday School was featured twice in the John Waters film A Dirty Shame. The song was first used as an angelic juxtaposition to the intolerant concept of NIMBY. It was later used satirically in a scene depicting the religious aspects of 12-step programs.
The melody of the chorus section is identical for its first two measures to the published version of “Aloha Oe” by Princess Lili`uokalani (1878), and “There’s Music in the Air” by George F. Root (1854), and all three share the same chord progression IV-I-V-I.
The 1969 #1 hit song “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” by The 5th Dimension contains the refrain “Let the Sunshine In” and backing vocals that include the phrase “Open Up Your Heart”.
I frequently spent quite a bit of time composing replies to Backyard and Beyond, but no one ever comments on them. It know you have a wonderful, erudite following, so this is especially discouraging to me. I always “like” your posts. It’s it funny that my comment never elicit a reply?
There aren’t that many readers….
And for what it’s worth, I always read your comments even if I don’t comment.
Backyard and Beyond 
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