It sounded like a thousand birds, but when I finally roused myself from bed to look out the window, I only counted fifteen lined up along the edge of the roof. They were learning to fly.

One by one they would take the great leap, swoop down low, and flap like mad to make it back up to the roof-line and their siblings. I can’t imagine that leap and the faith that your wings will bear you up.

Eventually they all made the short flight down to the lower roof, and eventually I woke up enough to think of grabbing my camera. From the lower roof, they made the much longer flight to the tree where they have been singing for much of the day.