there you were–
a beautiful red hawk
scanning the horizon,
registering our presence with
a cold, hard stare
Stare
Tag Archives: birds
Snapshot: 3
contemplative heron
Tender Things
spots on a fawn
the smell of a burning campfire
bees on orange clover
a coyote call at dusk
random lines of Neruda
the way my babies looked while sleeping
drops of rain against the evening sun
cups of steaming coffee
warm blankets and cool nights
iridescent feathers
summer storms in the distance
handwritten letters
fading roses
memories of your long, grey braid
Awe
For many days in a row, I found bloody feathers beneath a tree. I wondered if the culprit was a hawk, or an owl, or a cat. And then yesterday, as I was coming home from the little market down the street, I saw a small sparrow hawk with the flight precision of a fighter pilot, swoop under the tree. Immediately the tree emptied of other birds with shrill shrieks and frenetic chaos.
Walking over for a closer look, I watched him. It occurred to me that maybe I should be repulsed, or saddened or even frightened. But I was awe-struck. He looked down at me, straight into my eyes and I nodded, the tiniest little head nod, before turning away.
Observed at the Marsh in One Day
9:00 am
Two mallard ducks
Five small turtles
One hawk circling directly above– its shadow lingering
goldfinches, robins, mourning doves, red-winged black birds and sparrows
12:00 pm
Three canada geese
Four small turtles
Two turkey vultures soaring on the warm wind currents
One blue jay screeching in the brambles
robins, mourning doves, red-winged black birds and sparrows
4:00 pm
One blue heron
Two enormous mating turtles
One fish jumping above the water
red-winged black birds and sparrows
8:30 pm
Thirteen canada geese flying in a “v” formation
a scamper in the brush and then a splash (beaver? another turtle?)
red-winged black birds and sparrows
and us–
the pup and me walking by the marsh in one day
You
through the thick snow, i recognized you
If Only
if only i could sit next to you once again
Good Things in January
dried flowers on table tops
crystals gleaming in the winter sun
mourning dove silhouettes against grey skies
cherry, apple and almond challah bread
leaves on rainy walkways
lemon verbena candles and a book about John Muir
The Heron on a Cold Day
there he was,
the hunched heron
on the frozen marsh,
quiet and still—
i stood and watched him
until my ears were numb,
and when i lifted my hands to warm them
he looked straight at my folly
and flew away
A Good Day
when i see the heron land in the marsh
when the geese fly close enough to hear their swishing wings
when a good book can’t be put down
when saturday morning breakfast brings us together
when an evening walk by the water happens at midnight
when i find a hawk feather in the grass–
it has been a very good day
spanishwoods 