Their return flight's echelon signals spring's arrival
communal calls those of comradeship and triumph
in reverse migration as one formation of geese follows
another heralding the season. Returned robins' distinct
murmuring rustling as they settle for the night, the
lilting melody of song sparrows and looping flight of
warblers, the wing-beating hovering of hummingbirds
record yet again the timeless rituals of spring's arrival.
Early morning a musical tumult of birdsong, cardinals
perch high on tree crowns' bare tops to trill a paeon to
the season. At night deep resonating calls of owls echo
from the forest. Moderating weather bring crows mobbing
in avian exultation. The forest stretches its winter-weary
limbs as frost seeps from the hardened forest floor and
sap begins to rise even before the hillsides release their
pack of snow and ice and torrential snowmelt tumbles
into the swelling forest creek. Nocturnal forest creatures
from coyote predators to foxes, raccoons and squirrels
endured another winter preparing to welcome spring.
No comments:
Post a Comment