Our building is nicely situated in Wyman Park. We are surrounded on 3 sides by woods and a very pretty stream runs behind the building. It's fun watching the stream in all its different states: swollen, dry, ice-covered and surrounded by snowy woods. The setting makes it easy to forget I work in the middle of the city (but the commute reminds me!)

One day last Spring, my friend and co-worker Christine came running into my office saying there were some bright red birds in the trees. Really bright red. She knows I like birds. My first thought was Scarlet Tanagers (but I thought the name was Tangiers, like the island!) I followed Christine to an empty office with a view of the woods. Sure enough, there were at least 5 neon-bright, red-orange scarlet tanagers flitting among the trees. I was so amazed! I had only ever seen them in my Peterson's Bird Guide as a child. Someone found a pair of binoculars and we all got a closer look at them. I sent email to another co-worker, Shireen, who is a real bird watcher. She told me they were making a stop on their migration route.