Walk in the park

[redbird]

Spring is starting slowly, and a little later than usual.

This afternoon, cattitude and I walked a bit in Inwood Hill Park. Less that we might ideally have liked--I think we both have this low-level but tenacious and tiring cold. But we saw lots of crocuses, not only in the expected garden areas but a patch of tiny purple ones next to a path up in the hills.

We saw periwinkles, the first of the year, a couple of dozen tucked among the leaves on a southeast-facing bank.

And we saw cardinals. They aren't especially a sign of Spring: I have a cardinal on my arm because they stay through the winter. But they were bright and beautiful, and Cattitude thinks they were thinking of nesting, from how red the male's head was.

Comments

[janetmk.livejournal.com]

It's lovely that you have parkland so near. I should have taken a walk yesterday--today the weather is starting out gray.

I didn't know that the color of the male cardinal intensifies before mating time.

"My" cardinals were just outside my observation window and I note that his head is indeed redder than the rest of him.

I've had a pair of cardinals hanging around all winter. They don't (or can't because of their size) avail themselves of the hanging sparrow feeder so I put seed mix on the stone windowsill. I see the female much more often than the male. Her distinctive chirping at first light often prompts me to get up from my computer, throw on some clothes, and take out seed for the feeder and sill. She has me well trained.

[rosefox]

I didn't realize you lived so near here! We should get together for park wanders or something sometime.