Thursday, May 17, 2012

Say Hello to Mr. and Mrs. Chalumeau!

Clarissa and Clarino Chalumeau, that is! My Mourning Doves now have a name.
I found this name when I was researching their calls, and it was stated that their mournful lament is similar to the sound made by the "Chalumeau", a woodwind intrument that preceeded the clarinet.
The chalumeau is French, and by the 18th Century it had quite a repetroire for orchestral and chamber music. The improvement of the chalumeau and the invention of the clarinet have been attributed to Johann Christoph Denner of Nuremberg.

The picture at left is Mrs. Chalumeau, taking her shift at the nest. I read that both parents watch over the eggs, ususally the male in the morning until afternoon, and the female from late afternoon through the night.
It's a delight to watch them, and I have seen the two eggs (their typical clutch) just once!                  Well worth the wait. Listen to this You Tube Chalumeau solo! Lovely.

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