There are some perks to having grown up on Long Island. While sleeping late on Saturday mornings as a child, I often noticed a certain bird song in the summer. Three long whoops followed by four staccato notes. Because the sound came only in summer months, I associated the call with that season and the happy memories that come with it. It was years later when I first identified the bird which makes that sound, a cardinal.
Flash forward a few years (or decades? who’s counting?) to Central Park. Chris and I took a stroll yesterday through the “Scramble.” It’s a part of the park with stone steps, forest, and a lot of hilly, interesting paths. We paused to sit in a densely wooded spot beside a small stream, when I spotted a cardinal in the trees. So I did what any self-respecting Long Islander who knows his cardinal bird song would do. I whistled to them.
And one flew over.
Not in my lap or anything, but just over to a nearby branch. I was like, whoa, did I just call over a damn bird like Gandalf whistling for Shadowfax? I whistled again, and another came. This time, it was female. (The males of bird species are usually more brightly colored). I whistled several more times, and — I am not exaggerating — about eight birds flew over to us. They hovered on the branches just over our heads, checking us out.
So what do I do with this new power? I whistle again of course.
And this time Chris records it on video using her iPhone.* A few more fly over. We are in shock and awe (the non-lethal kind), and she plays the video back for a giggle. The recording incites yet more birds to fly over. There must be at least a dozen now. And one feisty male gets all fluttery in the face of a few others, presumably a territorial thing. That’s my girl — I mean, thing…Jesus Christ what is that tall pale creature?
Chris didn’t like this last one, because he seemed as if at any moment he might swoop down and attack us. He certainly was a thuggish cardinal.
I decided to stop whistling as images of Hitchcock movies came to my mind. But anyway, it was rather fun, and something I’d never expect in Central Park.
Here are examples of cardinal bird song if you’re curious. (Do not try this at home! My cat just freaked out when I played this.)
We also saw Moonrise Kingdom yesterday. I’m a fan of Wes Anderson, and so I enjoyed the film. It may be one of his best. Certainly no boy or girl would ever talk like these kids do, and the situations border on absurd. But I go into every Anderson film expecting this kind of surrealism. He’s a visual master, and some of the scenes on the island are breathtaking. And the coda, it’s just heart-rendingly beautiful. I was impressed by how Anderson was able to use such normally over-the-top actors like Harvey Keitel and Bruce Willis and contain them enough to be believable. Willis definitely comes across as more likeable here than in any of his recent films. And Bill Murray does his usual excellent job at playing the brooding, troubled man, though I wish Anderson had done more with his character. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the kids, Jared Gliman and Kara Kayward, who do a superb job of portraying two troubled kids in love for the first time and the awkwardness that entails. There’s one scene in particular which might have been squick-inducing had it been handled by a lesser director, but Anderson manages to make it heart warming and almost twee. Anyway, I’d recommend seeing it if you’re a fan of his other films.
* I will try to get my hands on said video as proof.
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