The birds are anxious for spring to come.

Every morning a northern cardinal sings outside my window before dawn.  Some days he begins as much as an hour before sunrise, then pauses and starts again a half hour later.  He isn’t singing all day yet, but he’s getting ready.

On good days the Carolina wren pipes up after Mr. Cardinal has been singing for a while.  The wren is not as persistent.  He sings a couple of notes, then waits for first light.

The crows have been “singing” too.  Their huge Pittsburgh roost is about to disperse but that just makes them louder and more raucous as they fly before dawn.  They’re in a rush to be somewhere but I can’t tell what direction they’re going because it’s too dark to see.  They’re easy to hear, though, even the distant crows.  All of them have something to say.  Maybe the message is, “See you next winter.”

It’s March!  Yesterday was like a lion.  How soon will March be a lamb?

(photo by Cris Hamilton)