In this week's episode, notes from Bill Felker's 40 years of observing what happens in nature.
Bill Felker: For the third week of early spring. Robins start chirping before dawn this week, and here are a few of my Daybook entries about that milestone in the progress of the year.
March 7th of 2012, I went out a little after seven this morning to see if I could hear the first of the Robin chorus. The moon was round in gold, setting between the trees due south, and the air was mild. At 7:20, I heard a faint twittering of birds, and then a few minutes later, it became clear that this was indeed the first morning of the Robin chorus. From a distant chirping, the sound became louder and louder as the flock came into song right in the yard.
March 10th of 2010. At 7:15 this morning, the Robin Chorus was already underway. The crescent moon rising and temperature just below freezing.
March 10th, 2013. Waiting again this year for Robins. I heard them clearly at 7:17, and then the Cardinals at 7:25, Sparrows at 7:30, Crows at 7:35. The full morning chorus was underway on schedule. Well, will the Robins sing this year? Of course.
I'll be back again next week with notes for the first week of early spring. In the meantime, of course. Listen for Robins. Right around 7:20 in the morning.
Bill Felker contributes to newspapers nationwide, including the "Yellow Springs News." Bill resides in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
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