These are the days of transition. Permanent resident birds like cardinals, bluebirds, and Canada geese are already nesting. Summer residents that have wintered not very far south like gnatcatchers, house wrens, and yellowthroats have recently arrived and are beginning to establish territories. Very soon the gnatcatcher will build its small nest of spider webs and lichens saddled on the horizontal branch of a tree even before it has fully leafed out. Even one neotropical migrant, the Louisiana waterthrush, has come from Central America and can be heard singing along the edge of the reservoir. And yet one winter resident, the white-throated sparrow, still remains, although his incessant singing of “Oh sweet Canada, Canada, Canada” announces his intentions of soon leaving for northern climes.
