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| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| richfed |
Posted - April 09 2009 : 7:38:28 PM I was living in my little ole apartment for about 4 years. Moved about 2 months ago. While at the little apartment - oh, I don't know, maybe 2 years in - I began hearing a whippoorwill on a semi-regular basis. Now, I had heard the song of the whippoorwill before, but usually at some distance out in a meadow or field. This was different.
It sounded as if it was right outside my window. It was loud; it was clear. So loud and clear that it didn't really sound real. My first guess was that my neighbor, an avid hunter/outdoorsman, had some sort of bird call gizmo he was trying out. But, that was not the case.
And, I periodically - over time - continued to hear this whippoorwill. Always loud and clear.
Then, I moved. About 10 miles away. Right in town. Since I've been here, I've heard the EXACT SAME SOUND. The same clarity. The same feeling that he was right outside my window. Seemed my whippoorwill "friend" had followed me. Last evening, for the second time, I heard him.
At both places, by the way, before you start to think me crazy, visitors to my pad have heard this. It's NOT in my mind.
Someone suggested it was in my computer. It's not. I knew it wasn't but I searched the hard drive extensively for any sound file that could be it, just to be sure. Nothing.
It had to be a whippoorwill. A real one. But, so loud; so clear.
After a quick Internet search, I found the following, rather eerie bit:
Due to the haunting, ethereal song, the Whip-poor-will is the topic of numerous legends and is frequently used as an auditory symbol of rural America. One New England legend says the Whip-poor-will can sense a soul departing, and can capture it as it flees. This is used as a plot device in H. P. Lovecraft's story The Dunwich Horror. This is likely related to an earlier Native American and general American folk belief that the singing of the birds is a death omen.
Wow! This has haunted me all day! |
| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Seamus |
Posted - April 11 2009 : 06:24:25 AM Let's hope there are lots of folks in your neighborhood on the list ahead of you, Sachem, and that they hear it, too!
The whip-poor-will is close to a bob-white quail, which has a similar call. I have aided many of those (quail)in parting with their souls over the years from the stern of a 20 gauge smoothbore. I like them roasted slowly in apple juice and raisins, or split and spitted over a bed of hot coals in my cabin fireplace. Perhaps ol' Will might be as tasty?
There is one (WPW)in my woods at the cabin which sings constantly all night in the Spring and early Summer to the point of being a distraction to sleep. It's call will certainly be an omen of an impending "departing soul" if I ever locate it: ITS OWN!!! |
| RedFraggle |
Posted - April 10 2009 : 11:41:09 PM Ooooh, I got chills when I read that last part of your post, Rich! I've heard whip-poor-wills a lot of times, but I've never heard of connecting the sound with "a soul departing."
Of course, people say the same thing about a dog howling, so you can imagine how freaked out I was one night a few weeks back when my dog woke me up at 3am with three long, low howls---a sound she'd never made before in all four years I've had her. Spooky! |
| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - April 09 2009 : 7:48:45 PM A second one perhaps??? |
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