We're not quite ready for "the day is on the wing, the kite is on the string," but we're getting close. (Those are two lines from the N.M. Bodecker poem I referenced in "The Day is on the Wing.") There have been reports of American Woodcock courtship flights, House Finches, Titmice, and Northern Cardinals singing, … Continue reading Whispers of Spring
Category: The environment
A Green Heron Album
This post is a continuation of "A Green Heron Colony." Many thanks to those of you who read it and enjoyed it. Not that long ago, the words "Green Heron Album" might have conjured up a 33 1/3 LP, a paper sleeve, and a compelling, if enigmatic, album cover. Not anymore. What follows isn't an … Continue reading A Green Heron Album
Talkin’ More Bird Photography
Happy Independence Day, America! And am I grateful to be living in the "the greatest country on God's green earth." Green Heron Nestling Some of you have seen this bird photo before. I took it on 7/1/20 at what has now become one of my patches: Lakeside Park in Chesapeake, VA. My main patch continues … Continue reading Talkin’ More Bird Photography
Bird Love
This is a few days late, I know. Memorial Day 2020 has passed. But a time to be grateful never does. We remember those who fought and died for our country. We also recognize that the best way to thank them is to live lives worthy of their sacrifice. I'm reminded of Thomas Aquinas's words—and … Continue reading Bird Love
Bird-Related Grace
Before I begin, please note that some of what follows might be a little obscure unless you're familiar with my previous 2 blog posts. It's funny, but as a writer, albeit a middling one, I feel something of an obligation to blog more often now, if it means providing my readers with a little more … Continue reading Bird-Related Grace
A Hopeful Time
This is a complicated time. But one thing that keeps many of us centered and hopeful is the birds in our lives. Beacons of Hope John W. Fitzpatrick, Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, said as much in a recent message to members. He wrote that birds are "beacons of hope," and that "this … Continue reading A Hopeful Time
Common Birds
It was a year ago that I wrote: "Be Still and Know." And I still believe, but now even more so, that stillness is, as Mary Oliver put it, “one of the doors into the temple.” Gosh, I love those words. I'm a Mary Oliver fan from way back. The longer I bird and the … Continue reading Common Birds
A Few Thoughts on Birds and Bird Photography
I paid an early morning visit a few days ago to Lakeside Park in Chesapeake, VA—the park with the litter, the noise, the Canada Goose droppings, the algal bloom, and on and on, yet also the park that was recently host to a thriving community of nesting birds, including many Green Herons. I'm reminded of … Continue reading A Few Thoughts on Birds and Bird Photography
An Ode to a City Park
In an earlier blog, "Trash Destroys," I mentioned an area in Chesapeake, VA known by locals as "the curve," where I'd come across a diverse pile of junk that included golf shoes, Gatorade bottles, foam boot liners, and a lawn chair. I remarked, “This jumbled mess of a trash pile was just feet from an … Continue reading An Ode to a City Park
Trash Destroys
Well, I've done it. I've decided to republish an old blog post about trash and wildlife, with a few changes here and there, of course. I do it for several reasons. I've been at this blogging endeavor for almost a year now—so, why not try something new? I also find myself thinking about the upcoming … Continue reading Trash Destroys
Elizabeth River Bird Blog 