Tag: birds

Early Birds

I’ll never understand why so many of the migrating birds come back to the northland when there’s still ice on the lakes. This is the time for them to find a mate and start a family, but they can’t build a nest out of ice. The only thing the early bird catches around here is a cold.

However, as a painfully shy kid back in high school, I understand the difficulties of initiating a courtship, and perhaps it’s the same with these early birds.

some fall in love

the moment they meet

while others come down

with a case of cold feet

–Photo by me

Chaos and Order

The snow buntings have arrived en masse; it’s finally cold enough for them here.

Many birds fly in some kind of formation, often wingtip to wingtip like the Blue Angels, but these little snow birds are all over the place. From here, it looks like total chaos, but nothing could be further from the truth.

chaos in nature

is part of the grander scheme

of perfect order

–Photo by me

Birds

I wanted to get some photos of birds this morning, but I had a dilemma: I could either take them of the birds at my backyard feeder, which were a sure thing, but a little boring, or I could take a walk down to the pond in the woods, which might prove more interesting, but might also be birdless. I decided to take my chances with the pond.

Cutting across a farmer’s field on my way to the woods, I ran into a couple of cranes standing around on impossible legs. The farmer’s don’t like to see cranes in their fields as they’re harmful to the crops.

When I got to the trees, I was surprised to find a turkey vulture sunning himself. Vultures must be the ugliest birds ever with their featherless heads and turtle-neck sweaters.

Once I was under the trees, I felt like I was being watched–and I was. Overhead, a marsh hawk stared at me with his keen vision until I passed. With so many birds along the way, I assumed I’d strike out at the pond.

I was not disappointed.

–Photos by me