at the bird feeder #1
Today our bird feeders are a mess. Racoons and grey squirrels don’t keep neat houses. However, the seeds scattered across the deck are attracting a delightful array of birds. The last few mornings we have had:
a few chickadees (Black-capped Chickadee, Parus atricapillus)… they grab a seed and swoop to the nearest low branch to break the seed open… they seem to travel in small groups, but bicker with one another at the feeder…
a few nuthatches (Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis)… they are acrobats, grabbing to the feeder and then flipping inside to get the seed… they are solitary, sometimes in small groups of two or three… they leave one another alone, each taking their turn…
a flock of goldfinches (American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis)… gregarious, they are all a-flutter and feed together side by side… they hang around to break open the seed and tolerate other species beside them…
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goldfinches
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bright feathers distil
yellow from atmosphere
essence of sunflower
tipple and sip champagne
make small talk at parties
gesture with hands
paint scallops on air, animated discussion
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the gregarious obtain information
best feeder in the neighbourhood
best seed
least squirrel
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© Jane Tims 2011
nichepoetryandprose 
“the gregarious obtain information” 🙂 Sounds like my husband! Beautiful drawing…
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Barbara Rodgers
January 9, 2012 at 8:49 am
Hi. Glad you like the drawing! We can learn a lot from those birds! Jane
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jane tims
January 12, 2012 at 10:52 am
I giggled thinking of the birds at a cocktail party, what a delightful poem!
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C.L. Sostarich
January 6, 2012 at 8:25 am
Hi C.L. Glad you liked it! You have inspired me to include a little lightness in my work… Jane
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jane tims
January 7, 2012 at 8:15 am