(Song Sparrow - photo by Neil Barker - March 24, 2024.)
Familiar sounds, scents, and sights of the new season fill the air.
One song stands out briefly, each note chasing away the Winter.
Spring grows in strength each moment, the time for slumber is over.
I took these photos Sunday March 24th 2024. I was nearing the end of my hike and walking back to my car and I saw this Song Sparrow perched on top of these hedges. He was calling out and making his presence known to all those around.
He looked around and sang a few more times. After a few minutes, instead of flying off like I expected, he dove into these hedges. I had not expected that. The hedges are fairly thick and offer excellent protection. I wonder if he has a mate yet and they are planning a nest in the hedges.
I am glad to hear the Song Sparrows once again. Yet another sign that Spring has sprung here in the Ottawa area.
So familiar and what second adjective..."sweet"?
We have a forty-year+ old laurel hedge that forms the border with our neighbor. It is about eight feet high. Every year the neighbor and I get out our tall step ladders and jointly trim it. But every year we wait patiently. That's because two song sparrows for about five years now, nest in the hedge and we wait till the peeping nest noises stop and the birds depart before we go up on the ladders with our noisy electric hedge clippers.
The male sparrow often sits atop the hedge in spring and sings his heart out! My front porch is about even with the hedge top, and if he's there I often sing to him back!. Lyrics are simple sentiments like "How are you doing.? You're looking happy today....". Maybe. I'll sing your poem to him next time!
Yesterday, it was pouring buckets of rain and little ruby throated humming bird, a frequent visitor, flew under the porch eaves to perch on a Sweet Afton Rose twig to get out of the rain. I was about four feet away and I sung to him as he looked out at the rain.
I imagine most of us sing to our bird friends..it comes very naturally and unbidden.
Sorry to write at such length, but your essay made me too want to sing. What warm power you good writers have!
Always a better day of birding when it includes a Song Sparrow. Love the line: “One song stands out briefly, each note chasing away the Winter”