Yesterday was overcast and on the cool side, but while my wife went to work out at our gym, I grabbed my camera, a couple of lenses, and off I went to the Mass Audubon Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary to walk and see what I could find.

At this time of year, Spring is just starting to show itself. The birds aren’t back in abundance, but they’re there. You can hear them all calling out in the trees, whereas a few weeks ago it was more quiet. Now as I walked the trails, I could hear the distinctive call of the Redwing Blackbirds high up in the trees. Male Cardinals singing in the distance. A family of Bluejays sending warnings from above that I was a potential threat as I walked slowly below them. Tiny sounds. Peeping frogs now singing loudly, until I get close to the wetland. I never see them, but they clearly know I’m there.

Walking ever so slowly, noticing the little things around me, watching for movement in the trees. When we take the time to slow down and observe, it’s amazing what we can find. Here’s some of what I captured yesterday. A Canada Goose watching me from a distance while its mate is in the stream behind. A Black-cap Chickadee flying to the next branch. Another working on a tree bud. Zoom in and you can see the grip on the thin branch. Off in the distance, a male Northern Cardinal feeds on the ground. I shot this from at least 30 yards away, staying very still so as not to startle him. A male Goldfinch getting his spring mating colors, feeding with a bunch of other finches in the tree. Finally, some emerging tree buds, still sprouting even though the tree likely won’t survive, a victim of the February Blizzard of 2026.

Nature is healing. It is calming. It is peaceful. Walk slowly, purposely and see what you can find. I hardly encountered another person on my two hour walk.