Thursday, 9 May 2019

Falcon, wren and sparrows


Peregrine Falcon

Hawk-eyed, on the fence
Warily watching for food
Bird table sentry

Silent dawn chorus
Falcon glides emptyhanded
No song for supper

Wren

The wren on the fence
A little feather whistle
Blown away by wind

Sparrows

Good day! Good day! Hey!
Dapper in flat cap and tweed
Sparrows chat away
  
Under the rooftiles
A secret stash of treasure
Jack sparrow’s new nest








Friday, 15 March 2019

Wales


Sixteen kites strung out
Above the black hills, hanging
On storm Gareth’s tail

Lone kite, a bright flag
Above the bracken field, keeps
Watch on the wild wind


The heron; stillness
Personified. Unmoving
Until camera clicks!

Grey heron lingers
Haunting the water margins
Hidden from my lens

Thursday, 7 February 2019

Swans, Herons and Starlings


Two Swans

Wrapped in sheets of mist
Two swans sleep; waiting for snow
Winter’s white duvet

Two Herons

Mid-air pas de deux
A pair of herons dance by
Encore! Encore! More!

Two Thousand Starlings

Overhead, at dusk
Two thousand wings whispering
This way. This way home.


Tuesday, 8 January 2019

January Birds


In the Orchard under the Tor

Gliding keen branches
Mustard, like late mistletoe
Green glimpsed woodpecker


On the bird table

Starling, stuttering
Over the abundant seeds
This! And this... and this?



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