wordsfromanneli

Thoughts, ideas, photos, and stories.

Category Archives: Birds


by 31 Comments

Leaving the Hills

Hi! I’m Robbie Robin. I want to explain why I’m down here at the lower elevations.

It got darn cold up in the hills where we’ve been hanging out for several weeks. When a dusting of snow covered the ground and froze, it was harder to get the bugs and worms out of the ground. Most of the berries were already long gone.

So we decided to come down closer to sea level and check out the gardens and people’s back yards.

Did you count us? It’s a bit blurry but see how many of my friends you can find.

I’ve been here before so I got right down to it. I know the worms hide under the leaves that mulch the garden. Check it out and you’ll see how I find them.

Flicking dead leaves all around,

Until yummy bugs are found,

Eat them quick before they stray,

As they rush to get away.

 

 


by 38 Comments

You Quack Me Up

Is love all it’s quacked up to be? You betcha.

Back off, boys!

I’m a har-har-harlequin,

Funny little duck,

If you’re look-look-looking for

A girl you’re out of luck.

 

She’s a sweet-sweet lady duck,

And she is all my own,

Best little sweetheart

I have ever known.

 

No one comes between us,

She’s mine, mine, mine,

To woo, woo, woo her,

You’d better get in line.

 


by 21 Comments

Australian Wood Duck

Another photo from my friends’ holiday in Australia.

Is it a duck or a goose? It seems to have features of both and its Latin name has been adjusted  somewhat (from chen to anser?) to cover both features. Not sure about the Latin names, but there is definitely something goosey about this wood “duck.”

Hi,

My friends!

See me here?

I’m a wood duck,

Why am I called that?

No, I’m not made of wood,

I nest in tree cavities

Away from many predators,

My flightless ducklings leap from the tree,

When I call from the ground, they jump to me.


by 14 Comments

The Lunch Menu

 

“What to do? What to do? Which ones should we go after, Dad?”

“That’s a tough one, Son. So many dinners. So little time….

I guess we watch for a cripple, or a loner, like always.”

 

Poised

Over

Fields of geese

Eagles search out

 Opportunity,

Eyes open for cripples,

Some lone, wandering straggler,

Any kind of anomaly

Lacking the protection of the flock,

A victim to be whisked away for lunch.


by 34 Comments

Shovelers

Folks!

May I

Introduce

The shovelers.

Their bills are special.

Wide with comb-like strainers

They sweep the water’s surface

Back and forth, swishing and slurping,

Straining out plankton and crustaceans,

Cleaning the water as they eat their lunch.

 

“Whadda ya say, Missus? Wanna go for a swim?”

“Naaaaah. I’m good. Just catchin’ a few rays.”

**Photo by friend, Sonia.


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Birdfeeders

 

Hawk!

Warnings

are shouted.

Bird seeds are served,

but not for me; still,

hunger motivates me.

Unsuspecting songbirds feed,

inadvertently becoming

 my prey, providing me with fresh meat.

Yes! Bird feeders  —  the balance of nature.

*****

Thanks to Linda for her help with etherees, a poetry form I had not yet tried. Any future tips appreciated. Check it out here:

An Earthy Etheree


by 28 Comments

Lyrebird

This bird is named for its amazing tailfeathers which resemble a lyre, a U-shaped, harp-like instrument. Unfortunately, the video only shows glimpses of the tailfeathers – but the main feature of the clip is to show the mimicry the lyrebird is capable of. They have been heard mimicking other birds, as well as copying sounds like sirens, dogs barking, and even cameras clicking. What a variety!

The video was taken by my friends who visited Australia recently. Lyrebirds are rather shy so this was a lucky capture.

Please turn up the volume for the best results.