I cannot tear myself away from the window to hike this morning. I’m currently in a suburban area, literally behind a huge shopping mall. But thanks to clever landscaping, here is what I see this morning:
Cardinal - male and female, house finch, juncos, five blue jays, two red-winged blackbirds, several cowbirds. Something spooks them and they scatter. A seagull hovers momentarily and moves on.
Moments later, tufted titmouse, black-capped chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch and three squirrels join the now-returning breakfast crowd. The maple tree is budding; the spruce, pine and rhododendron provide cover and a lookout.
Two mourning doves and several white-throated sparrows join the party.
This will all be over in an hour. I have a meeting this morning. As I write, Canada geese call.
There’s nothing I like better than sitting in the woods - but the truth is that at the right time of day, there’s a whole lot of nature happening right outside my window.
This scene will change as the seasons change, but even in the midst of sprawl, the natural world is still present.