Sunset over Beech Hill.
Bright morning, lovely day. What woke me? The song of a cardinal woke me. Calling insistently, urgently, instinctively, over and over. And off behind the redbird somewhere, a titmouse sang as well.
Met a friend for coffee and a donut. Walked over. On the way back I heard a downy woodpecker.
Married to my desk today. Major project, deadline pressure, hard work until 5. Only then did I manage to get out—first, to town, and then up to Beech Hill. Quick walk up, during which I heard chickadees, robins, herring gulls, and a morning dove. The same four species I’ve counted up here the past three times I’ve been. Hardly any clouds, a pure evening sky. Only two small stretches of crusty snow left on the upper wooded trail. The air tasted clean and sweet. Somewhere in the upper 30s (F), I’d guess.
Had an engagement tonight. On my way out, at 6:20 p.m., I paused on the back deck, looked up into the midnight blue sky, saw the fading stars of Orion, and waited a moment. Sure enough, within a minute I heard it. The miracle of the flight song of an American woodcock. And in that thrilling instant, winter died.
Today’s List
Northern cardinal
Tufted titmouse
American crow
Black-capped chickadee
Downy woodpecker
Herring gull
Ring-billed gull
European starling
American robin
Mourning dove
American woodcock
Tags: American crow, American robin, American woodcock, black-capped chickadee, downy woodpecker, European starling, herring gull, mourning dove, northern cardinal, ring-billed gull, tufted titmouse
I love how the cloud in the Beech Hill sunset photo almost looks like a question mark. It’s like the sky is saying, “Do you *really* think winter has died? What till you see what I can do!”
Maybe it’s a one-character text message from Zephyrus.