Thursday 15 November 2018

Starling Flocks Arriving Overhead One Evening in November


Here, now; a blanket
Of soft wings brushing the sky
Draws evening close by


The absence of sound
Their solidarity speaks
A thousand times loud


Air net. A lattice of
Beak and wing to stop falcons
From feasting on them


In the late lilac
Sky; thin ribbons of birds fly
Above the old thorn


Heron Flypast


Low bird overhead
Solid grey undercarriage
Heron ‘747’

Thursday 4 October 2018

Sunday 12 August 2018

Blackbirds and Jackdaws



Blackbird Under the Hedge

Dry summer leaves drift
Into the shade. You turn over
An old leaf for snails


Jackdaws in the Old Orchard

Plums, ripe and bursting
In the beak, spill magenta
Wine for thirsty birds






Saturday 28 July 2018

Jackdaws in a Summer Squall


Two leaves, chucked sky high
Dark shapes dancing in the wind
Rain drenched jackdaws jive

Wednesday 20 June 2018

Summer Birds


Young Great Tit

In my hands, frail beat
Of fledged feathers, claw and beak
Fly now, far from me

The dog pauses, wait!
Just long enough for me to
Find a fledgling perch


Hunting Buzzard

Sky-writing above
Longhand. Slow, deliberate
Soliloquy quills


House-martins and Swallows

Weaving through hedgerows
With the evening summer light
Strings of bird bunting


Young Starlings at St. Margaret's Chapel 

From the bell tower
They leap. Hearts and wings clamour
Not falling...gliding!




Friday 11 May 2018

May Bank Holiday Birds


Swallow

Wandering minstrel
Plucks a tune from a blue sky
Air on a up-draft


Swifts

Now the sky, blue bowl
Rings with your shrill cry; returned!
Brimful with summer

Friday 4 May 2018

Spring Garden Birds


In the green embrace
Of a Spring garden, birds dance
Singing in delight

Here, now, the first calls
From the eaves, fast wings flash past
New life needs feeding

Friday 6 April 2018

Seagulls after the storm


Gulls on the low field
Kite tail skips 'gainst a green sky
White triangles fly

Old sailor's sea legs
On dry land, stamping ground now
Gone earthworm fishing

Silver fields blossom
With seagulls after the storm
Garlands of gaggles

Tuesday 16 January 2018

Herons and Swans

Herons

Still heron, woven
Into the weft of the reeds
Designs on small fish

Long neck poised, beak sharp
Black-flecked greybeard ruffles breeze
Eyes pierce the stream's heart

In the flooded field
Looking glass lake reflects his
Elegant attire

Five Swans

Five grey swans fly low
Wings lift the cold, lead sky up
Over the Levels