The weather has been unusually warm for weeks now, it's only the end of February and today I heard the two sounds that have signaled the beginning of spring my entire life; the song of a red winged blackbird and the call of a spring peeper. I can’t remember a time when red winged blackbirds have returned so early. It’s important to be the first to return to acquire territory. Without land ownership you don’t reserve the privilege to breed and perpetuate your kind. They are singing loudly and flashing their bright red shoulder badges in an attempt to lure in a potential mate. I saw no females, so it must be for the benefit of other males in the area. The song is saying; here I am. This place is mine. The females require a lot from males, not only must they be owners of prime real-estate where food and good nesting sites are plentiful, they must be extremely healthy. The only requirement for females is that they be fertile. This stems from the fact that sperm is cheap and eggs expensive. Her investment in offspring is much greater than his initially, so she needs to be sure he’s got the goods. Not much different than a woman letting a man pay for a dinner date.
Lovely.
Another great one, Robert