Take a walk with me to Colonel Sam Smith Park over here on the west side of Toronto. It’s a very cool but sunny early spring day. Later, when the superstar birds, the migrating songbirds, come through, this park attracts both casual and very serious birdwatchers from all over. It’s early yet for the superstars, but for me even the usual suspects are stars in their own right.

This is my local park and I’ve walked it countless times, but there is always something interesting to look at here, and the environment is always changing day by day.

The red-necked grebes are laughing loudly this morning, sharing some private joke us humans can’t be expected to understand.

It seems the song sparrows are everywhere today. I hear them first, then look over and spot them, often on the top branches of smaller trees.