First Peent

Yesterday morning, before dawn, we heard our first peent of the year. It was exactly a year ago that I wrote about woodcock peents and twittering. They've returned on the same day and to the same place - a little field along Bald Hill Road that we walk near with Aria. A few ducks flew overhead in the darkness. Aria used to look up at the sky on these mornings; she could hear the whir of their wings and track their flight. These days she keeps her nose to the ground -- her sense of smell still works well.

There was another first yesterday. I pumped up the bike tires and took my first cycle ride of the year. Srini has been egging me on, since he rides almost daily at noon with some colleagues at work. He thought I should be getting my bike legs so he won't leave me trailing far behind when we ride together. So, I am finally underway.

I was thinking about the woodcock when it first arrives in the spring. How does the bird feel when it emits that first peent?  Does it need to stretch its legs and wings before commencing the full aerial mating dance? Is there a concept of soreness until they get into the swing of the season? Since they just flew here from somewhere farther south, their body should be good to go. Unlike me. The early morning peents and twitters sounded better than my legs felt on my first ride in the afternoon.

This morning, though, I feel no soreness. Like the woodcock, I've now got the momentum -- he for singing and dancing, me for riding.