Transitions

It's mid-February, and I head out the door for a 20-minute stroll through the neighborhood to see if there are signs of spring. I know immediately upon setting foot outside that spring is definitely in the air. The temp is already in the low 70's Fahrenheit, and it's not even noon yet. There is also that definitive, yet indescribable, fragrance that accompanies early spring. I get out into the street and start around the block.

The next harbingers of spring assault my ears: every bird I hear is singing their boisterous territorial spring song. The "dawn chorus" is worth getting up early for during the spring mating season. I make a mental note that it's time for me to get out my birding-by-ear CDs and start brushing up. This particular morning I hear Carolina wrens, northern cardinals, tufted titmice, Carolina chickadees and northern mockingbirds, just to name a few of the songsters. The two that surprise me most, and the ones that make me think I'm hearing things, are the eastern wood-pewee and the wood thrush. It seems a bit early for these two summer residents to be back on territory and tuning up. Then I realize that a very talented northern mockingbird has once again fooled me and is doing a very nice eastern wood-pewee rendition.

Many of the winter residents are still present, though they seem to be thinning out a bit. The cedar waxwings and American goldfinch are here in healthy numbers, but the large flock of goldfinch has been gone about a week. The waxwings have numbered as many as 135 over the last couple of weeks, and have yet to strip the berries from the Burford holly in the backyard before they leave for the summer. If I'm lucky, I will be sitting in the sunroom when they descend upon the bushes, and I'll get to watch from close range. I think the cedar waxwings are one of the most beautiful birds. They are so regal looking, and the tip of their tail appears to have been dipped in neon yellow paint.

As I round the corner and head back into home territory, I realize that spring is closer than it appears, sort of like looking into one of those rearview mirrors with a similar statement on them. The deciduous trees are still naked and appear dormant, but life is just under the surface, ready to burst forth onto center stage.

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