Neosho Daily News - Neosho, MO
  • RUSSELL HIVELY: Morning sounds

  • I am usually greeted by a myriad of bird songs each morning as I head out on my walk along Wildcat Boulevard.
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  • I am usually greeted by a myriad of bird songs each morning as I head out on my walk along Wildcat Boulevard. Many of the bird sounds are easily recognizable, like the shrill sounds of a killdeer or the "pretty boy" call of a cock cardinal.
    One morning recently I was greeted by the sweet sounds of a barred owl. Its combination of sounds is said to represent the words: "Who cooks for you."
    I wasn't sure I was correct about the barred owl's call and if it was a male or female. So when I finished my walk, I ran a Yahoo check on "barred owl." The computer not only told all about the creature, but had a recording of its sounds. Amazing what can be found on a computer.
    Now the owl I heard on my walk had a longer growl at the end of its "caterwauling." His ending was almost like a loud purr of an old tomcat.
    Bird sounds are not all I hear as I walk along. The constant car and truck sounds on Neosho Boulevard are simply a fact of life. Occasionally a loud motorcycle or a truck jake braking adds to the street noise. Dogs barking in the distance are other sounds I frequently notice.
    I was hoping to hear the gurgling sounds of water running down High School Branch the morning after the big rain, but it had subsided the next morning and only quiet puddles filled the deep parts of the branch.
    One sound I hope not to hear is that of sirens from the police, sheriff deputies, ambulances, or the fire department. The sounds of sirens always mean there is some kind of trouble. I often say a little prayer, hoping that no one has had an accident or anyone died.
    The new automatic garbage truck adds to the morning sounds on its route days. When it dumps the blue trash containers, they rumble, sounding like distant thunder.
    I don't hear thunder on my walks as I don't walk when lightning and thunder are around. Being zapped by lightning does not sound like fun.
    Take a walk, listen for morning sounds in your neighborhood, use those signal lights, and see what you notice while passing along Wildcat Boulevard
    Russell Hively writes a weekly column for the Daily News.
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