Gleam of Gold - Goldfinches

Dale Shields, alias the Pelican Man of the Bird Sanctuary he founded in Sarasota, Florida, once told me about an idea he had for a saying: “When one comes out and hears the birds singing, one is in tune with the universe. But if one comes out and doesn’t hear them, one is in big trouble.” This reminds me of the English poet Robert Browning’s "Song from Pippa Passes": “The year’s at the spring …. The lark’s on the wing …. All’s right with the world!” In spring, when nature wakes up after a long winter, it transforms the landscape into a real wonderland. Shrubs and trees start to bloom, anxious to keep their species going. Birds get into their breeding plumage, a delight for any birder. These are the treasures of spring.