August Birds during the Heatwaves

Sparrows

From the hedgerow, flee!
A flock of fast sparrows flaunt
The field’s dry despair

Grey Heron

Three grey herons fly
Grey flags over grey rooftop
Fanfare for new life

 

The Summer Seagulls

This year, two gull chicks
Speckled pebbles on the ground
By factory door

You sent me photos
Each week, while seagulls watched them
Turn to grey goblins

Shrieking banshee birds
Surviving the heat, the dry
To fully fledge and fly

Summer seagulls swoop
Overhead. Their cold cry cuts
Goodbye, goodbye, Bye!

Kestrel

Heatwave ends today
Morning rainstorm, break cover
Brown graze of feathers

Long-Tailed Tits

Notes ring, raindrop song
Through wet boughs ten long-tailed tits
Sing sweet harmonies

 

Cattle Egret

Intricate weaving
Across a loom of late grass
Egrets thread cow herd

Apricot hair comb
White feather boa, black silks
Fine for a field day

A line of cattle
Punctuated by white birds
Full stop, comma, dash

 

Sixteen seagulls

Sixteen svelte seagulls

Lawn dancing. A fine supper

In feather ball gowns

Sixteen shrill seagulls

Squabbling over spilt chips

Take-away tourists

Seagulls

Sky turned to pink shells

Sunset and seagulls fly home

Calling the sea tides

Shoreline waders wait

Feathers ruffled by tide winds

As their boat comes in

Overhead he cries

A quavering note of despair

Late, last and alone