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Showing posts with the label wilderness

Scent of spring: Songbirds, cherry blossoms, and warmer days

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    Spring, perhaps the most awaited season of the year, is about to grace this region of the world with its presence. I know spring is about to arrive in Delaware because after a series of unusually frigid mornings, which lasted from December through February, cheerful chirping of red-breasted robins, blue jays, and chickadees has now filled the morning air. In contrast to spring mornings, winter mornings are so hushed and uneventful that one may even question if birds exist in this land at all. To me, birdsongs are the harbinger of spring.  With the first sight of a bluejay perched on the backyard fence or a cardinal dancing on a leafless cherry branch, I know that my wait for spring is almost over, for I’ve learned from past experiences that an increase in bird activity signifies the approach of spring!  In this part of the world, during spring, nature comes alive with an abundance of activity. Everywhere I look, I witness signs of life. I witness new life in the ...

Hummingbird

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This was the only hummingbird I ever touched. It was stunned after colliding with our window. I brought it home, fed it homemade nectar (sugar + water) with the help of a syringe, and kept it in a shoebox for the night. The following morning it was drinking well and was soon able to fly. I remember calling up the local wildlife rehabilitator for help. By the time one of their volunteers came, this bird was flying around the house and climbing on me.  The volunteer and I took the bird where the collision occurred and released it to its environment. I secretly wished (shhh!) that I could keep it, but wild animals “belong” in the wild...