Gray Heron (Benson Sculpture Garden) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
And I rose
In a rainy autumn
And walked abroad in shower of all my days
High tide and the heron dived when I took the road
Over the border
And the gates
Of the town closed as the town awoke.
―
Adult Male Eastern Bluebird — Photo-Artistry by kenne
The Eastern Bluebird is a small thrush with a big, rounded head, large eye, plump body, and alert posture.
The wings are long, but the tail and legs are fairly short. The bill is short and straight.
Male Eastern Bluebirds are vivid, deep blue above and rusty or brick-red on the throat and breast.
Blue in birds always depends on the light, and males often look plain gray-brown from a distance.
— Source: All About Birds
Cedar Waxwings — Photo-Artistry by kenne
To Waken An Old Lady
— William Carlos Williams
Sandhill Cranes at Whitewater Drew (McNeal, Arizona) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
–I. F. Stone
Male Cardinal in Sabino Canyon, An Early Sign of Spring — Images by kenne
The Freeman
A VAGABOND between the East and West,
Careless I greet the scourging and the rod;
I fear no terror any man may bring,
Nor any god.
The clankless chains that bound me I have rent,
No more a slave to Hope I cringe or cry;
Captives to Fate men rear their prison walls,
But free am I.
I tread where arrows press upon my path,
I smile to see the danger and the dart;
My breast is bared to meet the slings of Hate,
But not my heart.
I face the thunder and I face the rain,
I lift my head, defiance far I fling, —
My feet are set, I face the autumn as
I face the spring.
Around me on the battlefields of life,
I see men fight and fail and crouch in prayer;
Aloft I stand unfettered, for I know
The freedom of despair.
American Robin — Image by kenne
Who killed Cock Robin?
I, said the Sparrow,
with my bow and arrow,
I killed Cock Robin.
Who saw him die?
I, said the Magpie,
with my little teeny eye,
I saw him die.
Who caught his blood?
I, said the Duck,
it was just my luck,
I caught his blood.
Who’ll make the shroud?
I, said the Beetle,
with my thread and needle,
I’ll make the shroud.
Who’ll dig his grave?
I, said the pheasant,
it wasn’t very pleasant,
I’ll dig his grave.
Who’ll be the parson?
I, said the Rook,
with my little book,
I’ll be the parson.
Who’ll be the clerk?
I, said the Lark,
if it’s not in the dark,
I’ll be the clerk.
Who’ll carry the link?
I, said the Linnet,
I’ll fetch it in a minute,
I’ll carry the link.
Who’ll be chief mourner?
I, said the Dove,
I mourn for my love,
I’ll be chief mourner.
Who’ll carry the coffin?
I, said the Kite,
if it’s not through the night,
I’ll carry the coffin.
Who’ll bear the pall?
I, said the Crow,
with the cock and the bow,
I’ll bear the pall.
Who’ll sing a psalm?
I, said the Thrush,
as she sat on a bush,
I’ll sing a psalm.
Who’ll toll the bell?
I, said the Bull,
because I can pull,
I’ll toll the bell.
All the birds of the air
fell a-sighing and a-sobbing,
when they heard the bell toll
for poor Cock Robin.
— English Nursery Rhyme
Female Cardinal — Image by kenne
Sanderling Wading Bird (San Diego 01-15-13) — Image by kenne
Cedar Waxwing Silhouette — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Spiritualists believe waxwings to be a symbol of selfless generosity.
The symbolism of the waxwing totem is believed to teach selflessness
and the practice of giving to others for their benefit, and not your own.
Waxwings are traditionally associated with the politeness you should have
when you give away to others the thing you have craved for or cherished for so long.
— James Common
A Female Phainopepla On a Chilly, Windy Morning In Sabino Canyon — Image by kenne
Phainopepla In Sabino Canyon — Image by kenne
— kenne
White-crowned Sparrow In Sabino Canyon — Image by kenne
— kenne
A Phainopepla In Sabino Canyon — Image by kenne
“You could call them jet setters, or maybe farmer birds, but for sure, the active little phainopepla is one of San Diego’s more interesting bird species.
Also known as the black cardinal, this busy little bird is often thought of as strictly a desert dweller. But the phainopepla lives a country club life, moving to more moderate climates in the summer, then back to the desert for the rest of the year. With distinctive topknots on both male and female birds, this is an easy bird to identify if you get close enough. From a distance, they can be identified by their color, shape and distinctive flight pattern.
The males are a silky jet black, and the females are gray with their wing feathers edged in off-white. They are sleek birds, about 71/2 inches in length with long tail feathers and a wingspan of just under a foot.
When in flight, the males display white patches on their wings, and they fly in an up-and-down motion. They are nervous birds, often seen perched at the very top of trees and shrubs, where they can spot any approaching threat.” Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune
Pelican Landing in Waters Near Puerto Penasco — Image by kenne
Slideshow of Pelican Taking Off in Waters Near Puerto Penasco — Images by kenne
Cactus Wren In Sabino Canyon — Image by kenne
— Jay Inslee
