I heard her for the first time this morning. She must have known the wild flowering currant would be in full pink dazzle. Later, I was startled by a flash of iridescent magenta as a male lit on a nearby branch tip—

the Anna’s hummingbird is back.

The sun had punched through dense clouds and my fair-weather friend was airing her wings in the relative warmth. Every year the Annas returns to this spot—I’m glad I have ruby primroses out to greet her—and feed her. One of her favorite rest stops is a slender branch sticking out of the brush at the edge of the woods. From this vantage point she can survey the whole bluff down to the beach and the wide expanse of bay and Strait. This hummingbird sits there often, bobbing in a gentle breeze, just outside my office and right at my eye level. Her sweet, gleeful chirps add cheer to my days and lure me out to join her in savoring the spring sunshine. I am especially glad to see her, as I called her to me as my special ally for this entire year.

CONTEMPLATIONS

• What are the signs of change in your life?
• Is there someone new in your life, or has an old friend returned?
• Or perhaps you’re ready to renew a friendship?
• What constancy is there in your life each spring?

Meet other bird allies here.