I heard a bird calling, two notes, bright and clear in the early morning light. TWEE, twee. What could it be?
Thanks to Cornell Media Lab and All About Birds, I was able to identify the bird call–It is the call of the male black-capped chickadee! You can learn more about chickadees, and hear what their calls sound like here—
And, there he is, now, under the eaves of the house next door.
Chickadees are more winter colored than the little brown sparrows that live around here. They are light gray and white, with a black cap and throat.
And here are the sparrows, too, all puffed up in the cold, hopping on the roof, chirping at my window. They blend in perfectly with the brown ground, after the snow has melted.
You can read more about sparrows here.
They are our companions through winter, even as we dream of spring.
And here’s a mourning dove!
Years ago, one bright and sunny January morning, there was a conference of mourning doves on the mulberry tree out by the alley. I counted 18 of them in one tree. I had never seen so many before! I have never seen so many since.
Leave a comment