Highwood, IL–Crocuses bloom, robins peck for worms, bright red cardinals sing from the trees. With temperatures in the high 60s and blue skies overhead, spring has sprung. In addition to being a great time to get out and walk, now is the time to check out the birds. They’re easier to see in the naked trees, and with mating season about to launch, they’re vocalizing more.
Consider a spring resolution to learn more about which birds are out and about, and get in tune with their songs. In his book, What the Robin Knows, author Jon Young shows newbies like me how to listen for birds and identify their sounds. Not to just learn which one is singing, but perhaps why. Did you notice the woods grow silent when a hawk soared overhead? Did you hear a call and answer from a pair of cardinals as you and your dog walked past? These are just a few of the many tracking secrets you’ll learn as you get in touch with nature. “Bird language increases people’s power in the moment,” Young says in an introductory video.
Oh, if only I hadn’t lost a listening hour by springing forward today.