Conk-a-la-reee!

Photo by Cal Vornberger - Turtle Pond 7/1/05
[http://www.calvorn. com]

Every year I wait for it, and yesterday I found it. It appeared on Jack Meyer's e-birds report of birds seen and heard that morning on his daily walk in Central Park:

1 March 2008
Red-winged Blackbird (Several, at least two singing).

Once the other migrants start arriving we stop hearing the red-winged blackbird song--it becomes too common and fades into the background. But now it thrills the ear. The spring countdown has begun.