birds of my neighborhood

Spring is definitely here. We played our first soccer game - if we were keeping score, which we never do, we would have recorded a 12-1 win! Ask any of the girls. The girls played very well. We challenged in the midfield so well that the other team rarely got into our half. Our attacks were fast and involved plenty of passing and even a give-and-go once. I think everyone on the team either scored or had a shot on goal. It was exciting enough that the parents didn't mind the freezing winds blowing across the pitch and the 40 degree weather.
To round out the day I took the dogs for a walk in the foothills just before sunset. It had warmed up to the high 40's by then and the brisk pace kept me comfortable. We took the "owl's roost" trail which goes through a small stand of oaks. A pair of owls actually do roost in the trees but we were probably too early to see them today. I stood still for some moments listening to the birds sing and call to one another. I heard the raucous call of red wing black birds, the chirp of sparrows or perhaps finches, the songs of robins, the soulful cooing of mourning doves and a few other chirps I can't name. It was as if every bird on the wing were announcing that spring has sprung at last.