The next time you walk through or by a leaf-covered area such as tree boxes, yards and Rock Creek Park, stop for a moment and listen.
If your ears are not encumbered by earbuds, you might hear a tinkling sound.
It is the tinkling ground cricket, and you can listen to a sample here. Rachel Carson called it the “fairy bell in the woods.”
Depending on the temperature, we’ll hear the cricket’s notes five to 8 times per second. It sings slower when colder and faster when it’s warmer.
Are you hearing any interesting sounds of nature on your walks?