November-soundways | Quiet  | Irregular Visitors

’Tis better than the Eider Duck’s / Deep Pillow – to have shared, c. 1864 (Fr764A)

In November 1864 the Snell meteorological record reports a median temperature of 38º F, with the thermometer rising to a high of 62º F and falling to a low of 10,8º F. Rain and snow-melt totaled just over 6 inches; and 9 inches of new snow fell. Stratus clouds were abundant, along with large numbers of nimbus clouds and occasional fog. Winds from the NW and W prevailed through the month, though SW and S winds also visited. November opened with three fine, cold days (Nov. 1, 2, 3), followed by a day of rain (Nov. 4), and another of snow and wind (Nov. 5). After the rhythmic alternating of fine and rainy days between Nov. 6 and Nov. 10, clouds on Nov. 11 and wind on Nov. 12 presaged a violent snowstorm on Nov. 13, followed by two more days of drifting snow. In the second half of the month, cloud cover and winds far outnumbered fine days (only Nov. 16 and Nov. 25 are marked as “fine”). The temperatures rose, with five warm days closing the month. 

Bird species in November’s scatterplot number under 70.

Now winter is almost upon the world: the leaves from the canopy have fallen, grasses are withering, and daily the birds grow fewer. 

In the day, here and there the fragmentary notes of a few migrant songbirds—Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Meadowlarks, Pine Grosbeaks, Redpolls, and Sparrows—scatter the air between billows of quiet.

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At night, on Northwest winds, the sound of the night migration of waterfowl navigating by the light of the moon and stars continues, though much diminished.

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The world is winds only and the echoing wail of a Common Loon, gavia immer…

Under its spell, the writer draws their pen across the long opening of the cold. They are moving far out on a line of verse, almost alone.