Joys of nature

I ran for about an hour this evening, and encountered a couple of things that were sources of joy for me. Actually, I have been running almost every night for 4-5 miles. I'm a night person, and I enjoy running at night, even though it's hard to see. I've been running since Feb. 8, and it's been neat to watch spring unfold. Tonight I was able to smell all sorts of tree blossoms along my route.

But the best part of tonight's run was the bird I heard. Keep in mind that this was at 11:30 pm. The bird was the Northern Mockingbird, which sometimes sings at night. It is one of the most beautiful sounds in the world, and I just stopped and listened for a few minutes. It has been a few years since I've heard a night Mockingbird. Go here to find out more about this great bird, and here to listen to a sample song.

The next bird I'm waiting to hear this spring is my all-time favorite: the Wood Thrush (description and song). I should be hearing it in our woods any afternoon now.

Other birds I love hearing in the spring include the Catbird (already heard and seen in our yard) and the Brown Thrasher (not yet).

Two weeks ago in the Smoky Mountains I saw a life bird - the Black-throated Green Warbler.