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





Wednesday, 8 November 2017

Wagtails and Starlings


Two Territorial Wagtails

Steam from frosty fence
Rises, as tempers flare hot
Wagtails flip the bird


Starlings at Dusk

Starlings spread a quilt
Of sunset gold, pink and blue
Murmuring the moon