Cicada, droning unseen

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What: Cicada song, probably a 'dog day cicada.' (No, this isn't my field recording. This audio is a different species, Tibicen auriferus, courtesy the outstanding library of cicada recordings at InsectSingers.com.) Where: W 22nd St between Garfield and Harriet Avenues Observer: Abbie Date/Time: July 12, 5:50 pm Conditions: Sunny, warm, pleasant

Before this Open Phenology experiment, my inner monologue might have been:

Cicada? Ah, summer! [. . .on to the next thought. . .]

But with the Open Phenology mindset, my awareness behaves differently:

Cicada? And it's... July 12! Hey, isn't that the first I've heard this year? [inventorying recent memory...] No, no, none yet—I would have noticed. Will it sing again? Only that once? Eventually, (when, do you think?) the cicada chorus will be a regular feature of the summer afternoon sounds. Late summer, that is. Sigh...