|
I attended a concert today at Snow Basin Ski
Resort played by a troupe of tuxedo-clad percussionists. The first
performance was delivered by a trio of male Hairy Woodpeckers resplendent in
their black, white, and red formal garb. One player drummed out his
staccato on a telephone pole, another on cut lumber, and a third on a dead snag
shedding its bark. A duet of male and female Downy Woodpeckers delivered
the second performance. The Mrs. drummed much of her part
upside-down on birch and scrub oak branches; the Mr. amongst
secondary branches of gray birch. The Downies were as smartly
attired as their bigger cousins, the Hairies. At least two Northern
Flickers contributed not only to the percussion movements, but to vocals as
well, with an occasional, "Kleer! Kleer!" This pair was more
casually dressed in spotted brown suits and black ascots; however,
their appearance and contribution to the concert was still quite
welcome. The final percussionist was a solo act performed by
a striking female Red-naped Sapsucker in a mixed copse of live and deadfall
gray birch. She, too, was tuxedo-clad, and earned the best-dressed nod
in striking formalwear of black, white, red, and yellow stripes and
spots.
The percussionists received a choral accompaniment
from a multitude of voices. American Robins chuckled out their
approval and Red-breasted Nuthatches chimed in incessantly. A quartet of
elfin sprites--Black-capped and Mountain Chickadees, and Golden and Ruby-crowned
Kinglets--added their voices to the beat. Gray-headed and Oregon
Dark-eyed Juncos and Song Sparrows trilled their approval. Audience
members included two hecklers--a Steller's Jay shek-shek-shekking and
several quacking Mallards. Concert hall skyboxes were occupied by a
Red-tailed Hawk and four Turkey Vultures.
The concert hall is located below the Olympic
run parking lot, along the Maples Loop Nordic Trail and adjacent to the trail in
an open setting of gray birch, snags, and deadfall. Tickets for the next
performance are still availble, free of charge.
Kris
|