Hello all,

Yesterday, February 3 was a gorgeous day, and although I was outside only
for about 10 minutes, there was some notable activity.

Walking from house to car, there were at least 3 species singing.  Ten am
is not exactly a dawn chorus, but it was nice to hear birdsong again. 
Robins were calling all about the neighborhood: I believe I have heard
them calling every day this winter (with the possible exception of days
when it was raining or snowing all day).  There is something companionable
about their calls.

Walking from the parking lot in to work at UMBC, a pair of redwings were
dueling vocally over territory at the storm water management pond, despite
it being frozen over.  About a week earlier than last year, according to
my notes.

A pair of red shouldered hawks were calling to my right.  They flew over
me, and in the 5 minutes it took me to walk in, completed almost an entire
circle around me and the campus, vocallizing the whole time.

So I was outside for only a short while, but enjoyed it immensely.  The
quality of light yesterday was unique: sun behind high clouds, reflecting
off snow, giving a lambent quality to the atmosphere.  No wind at all. 
And now a major storm on the way - such is February.

Bryan MacKay
Catonsville