Most wonderful time of Birds' year

After one more week of working out at the NovaCare Complex, A.J. Feeley will head to his home in Southern California to surf the waves in Delmar. Sheldon Brown will pack his family into their new 41-foot Newmar All-Star RV and drive down to South Carolina.

Lito Sheppard will go back to the Bahamas, then hit Florida for his mother-in-law's 50th birthday and a family reunion.

And after an off-season spent here rehabilitating his surgically repaired right knee - which sports a lovely eight-inch vertical scar - Donovan McNabb will go to Arizona. In a few weeks, McNabb will host Brian Dawkins, Brian Westbrook, Kevin Curtis, L.J. Smith, Hank Baskett, Reggie Brown and a few others for their annual independent passing camp.

It's the dog days of summer, and the Eagles players are planning to enjoy their last remaining weeks of freedom before training camp starts at Lehigh University. Rookies and selected veterans, including McNabb, are scheduled to report on July 27.

"It's about to get back started again," Sheppard said on Thursday, the final day of the Eagles' last organized team activity of the off-season. "These are the last couple of days, or weeks, so you've got to have fun. It'll get me at ease before we start going full speed.

"After this camp, you know you have a good month. Just keep steady, keep pushing. You know you have a month. That month comes real quick. So it's countdown time."

Most players have spent the better part of the off-season at the NovaCare Complex, either working out on their own or as part of the Eagles' two mandatory minicamps. Dawkins was the only player not in town last week; he was excused for personal reasons.

This next month is probably most important for McNabb. He will continue his rehabilitation from knee surgery in Arizona, although he will remain in close contact with Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder. McNabb said he feels good enough to host some teammates for a few days of workouts. It is good bonding time, he said, and should prove invaluable for Curtis, the Eagles' newest addition at wideout.

Andy Reid endorsed McNabb's decision.

"He and Rick will stay in very close contact with that," Reid said last week. "Rick knows exactly what Don's doing, and Don's very open about that. The main thing is just open communication."

Most players took a month or so off after the season-ending defeat to New Orleans in the playoffs. Reggie Brown went to Thailand. Shawn Andrews went home to Arkansas.

And most have fun plans for what amounts to their last month of freedom from football.

Dirk Johnson is going to a Garth Brooks charity event at his house in Nashville. Sean Considine is hosting a golf outing in his hometown of Byron, Ill., to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Trent Cole is going home to Ohio to fish, hunt, boat, and "have some parties," Cole said.

"I've got a bass boat," he said. "I'll take a couple trips, because there's a bunch of lakes in Ohio. Ohio's a big state. I'm going to do some trapping, because I've got to get some varmints off my farm. There's some coyotes. We're going ATV riding, too. I'm getting away from the city life for a while where I ain't going to hear no sirens."

This next month is one of the most worrisome for coaches and team executives, who keep their fingers crossed that none of their players gets in trouble or injured. And it's one of the most enjoyable for the players, because in a few short weeks, it will be all football, all the time.