it starts

last week i watched a squirrel busily and somewhat anxiously scoop up double handfuls of dry dead  leaves and stuff them into his or her mouth before scampering off.  it was the first explicit act of nestbuilding i’ve witnessed this spring and it felt like the start of of something. there are now robins in the woods, juncos scritching in the grass, and goldfinches at the feeders. all thinking about building homes and settling in to raise some kids, with a certain amount of social distancing.

goldfinch nest