around

In May and June, the mornings are filled with the sounds of birds singing. By August, the mornings are filled with silence. For some reason I've always thought this signaled that many of the birds had left, headed south for the winter. I was looking out into the back yard the other day, and it was thick with song birds. I think that the difference is due to the fact that the season for rearing their young has passed. Birds don't need to claim, announce, and protect their territory. It's nice to know that many of them are still around.