In spring and summer, many of our songbirdsstart singing well before dawn, filling the darkness with cascades of liquid notes. Birders call this the dawn chorus. Two species who start especially early and sing a long time are American Robin and Bewick’s Wren. Both species can be heard at Montlake Fill right now, if you get up early enough to hear them! Actually, they both sing well into midmorning as well, so if you’re not a morning person, go ahead and sleep in a bit, drink your coffee, and get fully awake before you set out. But I encourage you to make the effort to listen to the dawn chorus as well. It is ethereally lovely. Here is a poem for you today:

I walked the trail this morning
before the robin sang,
and the wren.
Before the world woke.
Wild nature and I, alone.
At peace.