This is Bird Note. A city lake may seem quiet and still at first, but with a

little time you might start to hear its music. Female wood ducks call out to

each other, keeping an eye out for predators. Redwing blackbirds sing from the

cat tails. The males purge high on the stems and show off their red shoulder

patches while the females search for food deep in the undergrowth. A belted

kingfisher flies the length of the shoreline, rattling and diving at small fish.

Several pairs of mallards paddle around the shallows, quacking companionably as

they dunk their heads in the water looking for food. An Eastern King Bird dashes

out from a high branch to snatch a fly over the water. From a witty thicket

along the bank, male song sparrows belt out their chorus all day long.

But when a redtail hawk passes overhead, everyone falls silent. Stick around

long enough and the music will begin again. For Bird Note, I'm Ariana Rimmel.