Spring is Around the Corner

Last Tuesday was a very warm day and, since the weather forecast was not favorable, I decided to take my camera out to the Audubon nature center. As I left my car, I was already greeted by the honks of Canada Geese from the pond area. You can always hear them before you see them. Another sign of the spring ahead was the house sparrow checking out the real estate of a bird house. The pond itself was still covered with solid ice, so there was no sign of life yet besides the geese. As I walked along the trail, I kept my ears and eyes open for birds, never knowing whether it was a slight breeze or a secretive bird that rustled in the thickets. A hawk glided overhead and a honey bee actually landed on my lens. Nature is awakening at last. It was too early yet to see migratory birds, but a red-winged blackbird screeched out his mating call (which can only be attractive to another blackbird) to the world. Too bad it was perched in the middle of a holly bush and I could not get a decent photo of it. They look pretty impressive when they flex out their wings and show off those red and yellow striped feathers.
By March, I'm tired of looking at gray trees and can't wait to go out into nature again and witness its awakening. Our crocusses are coming out now and it won't be long before our silver maple will show fresh greens and the birds are pairing off. The robins have arrived a couple of weeks ago. Another long winter is finally coming to an end.