stemwinder

I grew up in Jersey City, near Bayonne. Close strikes were always there as a rule. Must be the iron in the rocks.

Lots of action starting up in central NJ. Will be an active afternoon for sure.

Boom - Already did. With a bang, here in central NJ. Popup looks to be moving NE into Plainsboro. An active day in store, for sure.

summer cicadas have been singing in chorus every morning these days. Don't need a lot of heat to get them singing. Won't mind a cool spell one bit if it comes. It's August.

Long ago, at first, I hated their sound. Now, when it's cool enough to open the windows to a summer's night, their sound has mellowed for me. I lived in the SF Bay area for 31 years, and missed the sounds of Summer insects. Katydids are weird looking insects, not often seen. This pic is not mine, but I've seen this critter at least once.

A little 'surprise" pop up Tshower over the Princeton/WWindsor area.

almost like the Jersey City of my childhood. - without the smells. Edit: BTW - hate the sound of generators when the power is out. Suerte -

Enjoy the sounds of deep summer nights.

Enjoy the sounds of deep summer nights.

Heard katydids last night too. Deep summer is right. Strange is certainly right. Yesterday was the closest it's been to being in a wet, tropical hothouse. Everything dripping and warm.

Apparently the ones around here like to sing in the mornings and evenings. Where I grew up in Jersey City, the species there sang in the heat of the day. I have not heard these cicadas yet this year, but on other occasions, there are choruses of them singing, here near the Delaware and Raritan Canal. These are the loud cicadas (every thing is loud in Jersey City!) which I associate with July Summer days. Also, the loud kind likes to sing out in the open, which I imagine presents an easy meal option for the birds. The morning and evening ones tend to sing from places that are hard to see, in the trees. Need to get a "bug book" to get more info.

I've heard just one or two summer cicadas recently, but only at sunset. Is it too brutal for them in the daytime? Will be happy when this godawful steam bath has abated.

It's been a juicy one for sure. Well over an inch. Lightning only occasional, but of the short stroke variety, like artillery shells. Still raining hard.

The lightning bugs are doing great around here. Was tempted to try a time photo of them flashing over a minute or so, but am too lazy. We'll have real lightning this evening, as things develop.

Congrats . Now it's Summer for you. It's been a bit late for a lot of things, so maybe summer cicadas are late here in Princeton, as well. Not a bad day today for early July, after an inch of rain overnight. Can't wait for 2021, when the REAL cicadas emerge, (just kidding) after their 2004 showing. The 17 year variety, of course. Brood VIII, I think. Correction: Brood X, per Google.

This 82 year old lurker thanks you all for your observations and remarks. For me, Summer is official when I hear the first Cicada sing. Then it gets better when the katydids start later on, at night. Welcome to the new, hotter Summers. - Still waiting for the cicada. - cheers -

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I dunno - I'm pretty much a NYC guy, growing up in Jersey City. I live halfway between Philly and NYC now, and while my sprit is more with NY, I can always post there, and definitely enjoy reading in that forum. OTOH, I'm no expert, and not that frequent a poster anyhow. I've grown accustomed to things as they are, and will vote against merger. I can live with whatever happens, though, and can be persuaded to change my vote, but want to kick the issue downfield for now.