Finch Perfect This is the week that the winter snow pack melted, all but the drifts, helped on its way by a day of relentless rain. Robins returned a week ago and Canada Geese, Trumpeter Swans and Sandhill Cranes are honking, trumpeting or bugling according to species and noisily letting us know that they are back. Things are changing. Spring is on the way. Life in the yard is changing too. The bird feeder, filled with sunflower seeds and hanging from the roof outside the kitchen window, is always busy with chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and doves. This week saw the arrival of a crowd of Purple Finches, not unexpected at this time of year, but very welcome nonetheless. They squabble and jostle for space in a more or less good-natured way and call out with whistles of excitement or irritation or greeting, or all three, who knows? I could tell when they were present because I could hear them through the closed window from my desk while I was writing. They are lovely. Roger Tor...