Partial lock-down due to covid-19 and the resulting semi-isolation from our friends, family, co-workers, disrupting life as we knew it before this pandemic, is certainly taking a toll on all of us. The friendly banters, warm hugs, smiles and the very proximity of other human beings has now become a thing of the past due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fortunately, the natural world seems to continue with the cycles of seasons and time. With the advent of spring in the Northern latitudes, flowers are in bloom, trees starting to sprout new leaves, with a pleasant green filling the landscape. Most welcoming of all at this time of isolated living, is the return of the migratory birds, their calls ever so sweeter and louder, enhanced by the subdued background noise due to less human activity.
Its exciting to experience the first sighting of each species as they make appearance flying hundreds of miles from their wintering destinations far south. The last few months have been a welcoming break with these visitors streaming in. From the bright hues of the lazuli bunting with its beautiful call to the dazzling orange of the bullock’s oriole, our mountains and valleys along the Wasatch front are teeming with life.
Natural rhythms, continuity of life, and promise to return is fulfilled even by the tiniest migrating bird, the hummingbirds, who’ve synchronized their time of return coinciding with the bloom of the apple trees, their blushing pink blossoms filling the air with fragrance and beauty.
Through summer these visitors have made new homes, nesting and growing their families. Fledgling young chicks have made the environment even more vibrant and joyful. As summer is coming to an end, many of these birds are returning back to their wintering grounds farther south, paving way for the winter birds to arrive shortly.
This pandemic has caused a warped sense of time with an an illusory sense, of days going by in a blur. These migratory birds have not only brought joy with their return, but also a semblance of semi-normalcy and a renewed sense of hope in these uncanny times.