Blue skies one morning, hail one afternoon. Short snow flurry this morning. Yet the local birds are starting to respond to the longer days, the impending spring with its mandate to breed and nest. For the past few days I have heard flickers calling, “ka-ka-ka-ka-ka” in their undulating voice. Not the simple, sharp “clear” call that we hear from them in fall and early winter. These longer calls means territories are being appraised and proclaimed. This past week for the first time this week I heard robins starting to sing. Not just the “chuck” calls or the whinneys. This is a start to the series of slurred doublets that become their territorial/courtship tune of spring. The birds I heard were content to stop after one or two slurred pairs, as if they were young birds trying out the adult music. Also, I heard full Song Sparrow songs for the first time this year. Not the has there been a single Golden-crowned Sparrow song within earshot, nor any of the complex songs of the American Goldfinch though a pair are in our garden daily. 
Thia fallen doug-fir’s base is about fifteen feet. My wife is there for scale. This was in Maud Williamson State Park.
HAIL, YES
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