Spring Beauty

It's a lovely spring day here on the east coast of the US, and to keep Addie from eating books I took her for yet another walk through Rock Creek Park. I only wish I could take a sound recording there; the lyrics of the birds, frogs, and squirrels are far more meaningful than any description I can give here. I'll only say it's peaceful and delightful.
We tried to visit Gilad's friend the heron, but he was nowhere to be found. I understand from Jeffrey that apparently the heron followed Gilad to Norfolk, where they saw herons, ibises and many other water birds today at the aquarium and preserve.
We did find plenty of evidence that the local beavers
are about and active,
but we simply saw nothing beyond the prosaic cardinals and sparrows. We heard, oh we heard so many other birds, but they were far out of sight in the trees and the overgrowth.
Even out of the park, with the azaleas blooming, we are surrounded by Spring.
Of course, the loveliest sight of all this afternoon was