For the first time this season, the song of white-throated sparrows rang through the neighborhood as I walked to work this morning. Natives of the Canadian North Woods, they generally arrive with the first pulse of winter, content to vacation in the cold, gray Midwest.
These hardy sparrows spend most of their day scratching for food among shrubs and thickets, often gathering beneath feeders to feast on fallen seed. Along with northern cardinals, they are the last birds to return to their roost each evening, making the most of the short winter days. And their hearty song, "Oh my Canada, Canada, Canada," brightens the dark season for all of us.
As spring approaches, their chorus will intensify and, by mid April, they will return to their homeland. Until then, I thank them for their company.
