in all their rush and glory.
They arrive like bandits in a flurry of feathers.
I drink in the adventure and strength of their travels
While they chatter about snow and winds to the north
And chirp about berries and fresh water to the south.
I am envious of their positive outlook on their forced transition
and envious of their camaraderie at the water dish.
They exchange stories of frozen and crisp sunsets
and tales of immovable like-a-bad-penny owls at dusk.
The wise old ones caution the new travelers about
distractions and procrastination and long farewells
as they shove their stronger bodies closer to the rim.
Then, if I blink they are gone and onto the rest of their expedition.
I was luck enough a couple of years ago to catch a flock passing through while they stripped the red tip photinia of it's berries.
ReplyDeleteWonderful. REally magic that you were there to catch them with your camera. Now what are they...please?
ReplyDeleteMage, these are Cedar Waxwings and this is the first year I have seen them come to the water dish even thought flocks of them hang around in the winter.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites, though I have not seen them for a while. They used to raid a berry bush on their way south. I love how they all land and take off almost as one, much like a school of fish.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous creatures, beautiful poetry!
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful, interesting birds.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love cedar waxwings! I suspect some have been around, since there are almost no berries of any kind left on any shrubs in the yard. They and the robins must have been here, but I missed them.
ReplyDeleteI love your words.
Lovely. There's nothing like a chat at the watering hole, is there.
ReplyDeleteThat was quite the busy flock that arrived to entertain you!
ReplyDeleteLove your gregarious, gobbling visitors. I haven't seen any here in Eastern Washington used to get them in West side of the state when I lived there.
ReplyDeleteOh WOW, you have waxwings. The birds are absolutely gorgeous. We don't usually see them until March here, but when they arrive, they never stop moving. They pelt each other with frozen crab apples, jump up and down and tell jokes. Lovely images, Tabor.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, their wings are great to capture
ReplyDeleteCedar waxwings devour the crab apples in the neighborhood, and, they seem to have favorite trees. Maybe some crab apples are tastier than others.