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Poetry posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

Birds - 7. Warblers and Ovenbirds

There are tons of Warblers. Technically, the Ovenbird one of them. As usual, all the errors you might find here are mine alone.

Warblers

 

The warblers are a varied lot

and often very hard to spot

while flitting fast from leaf to leaf:

at once he’s still – and then he’s not.

 

You see him for an instant brief,

he sings his special leitmotif,

then out of view again he flies,

which drives a man to drink or grief.

 

A warbler’s garb will oft disguise

whatever branch it occupies,

so it is best to listen hard

and hearken to it harmonize.

 

By sound I know who’s in the yard

that flirts and flits and plays the bard

attending to his mate, who’s hot,

while I your sultry smile regard.

 

 

Ovenbirds

 

Within the woods one might infer

from loud “tea-CHER, tea-CHER, tea-CHER,”

that education is the trade

which Ovenbirds might oft prefer.

 

But in the shadowed forest glade

this modest bird’s ne’er on parade,

for though you hear his forceful cry,

in camouflage he’ll masquerade.

 

And while you strain your searching eye,

you’ll hear another in reply

far deeper in the thickest wood

sing just as loud, though twice as shy.

 

He thinks the mossy ground is good

for nesting in this neighborhood;

I hope that you and he concur,

as there I’d take you, if I could.


I spent many happy hours trying to spot these elusive creatures over my last vacation. I hope you had an easier time reading about them. If you have any comments or thoughts, please feel free to leave them here.
Copyright © 2018 Parker Owens; All Rights Reserved.
  • Love 8
Poetry posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
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Chapter Comments

Headstall

Joyous, both, Parker. These offerings made me smile and think of how many times I've tried to spot the elusive tree singers. I confess I am not very good at it, but it is so rewarding when I catch a fleeting glimpse and see the throat pulse as the sound fills my soul. You are speaking my language with these, as you often do. And of course you always bring these back to love... wonderful! Cheers!

  • Love 2
Parker Owens
24 minutes ago, Headstall said:

Joyous, both, Parker. These offerings made me smile and think of how many times I've tried to spot the elusive tree singers. I confess I am not very good at it, but it is so rewarding when I catch a fleeting glimpse and see the throat pulse as the sound fills my soul. You are speaking my language with these, as you often do. And of course you always bring these back to love... wonderful! Cheers!

If you see and identify a warbler, you have credentials for patience. If you spot an Ovenbird, that’s a rare feat. Their songs fill the midsummer air with tuneful joy and exuberance. I can spend hours searching for them and watching. Many thanks for reading! 

  • Like 1
Parker Owens
1 hour ago, northie said:

You know I love your nature poems and even more so, your offerings about birds. Being amongst nature is the perfect excuse for bird watching. Or maybe, it's the other way around.  😉 😄 Your character studies are perfect. Not bothering about the precise this-and-thats, but rather capturing the essence and wonder of each bird. ❤️

You’re very kind; a PhD ornithologist might give us more depth and detail, but the hope is to convey enough to get someone interested in what they see and hear. Plus, there’s always the attraction of writing for one’s erm, attraction. Thanks for reading these, and for your comments!

  • Love 1
Parker Owens
6 hours ago, Valkyrie said:

As always, I can hear and picture this perfectly.  You've captured both birds perfectly.  I have to admit that the only ovenbirds I'm familiar with though, are turkeys and chicken :unsure: 

Ovenbirds like deep woods and make their nests in the moss of the forest floor. They look a lot like tiny brick ovens, hence their name. For such a tiny shy bird, it’s very loud. I’m glad you got a sense of them. Warblers come in all kinds of varieties- I’d bet there might be a few hanging around your neighborhood, taunting the cats. Thanks so much for reading and for your comments. 

  • Love 1
Parker Owens
6 hours ago, Aditus said:

Your poems were very inspiring. At first, I looked the bird's German names up, as I wanted to know  if I knew them. Warblers are all kinds of Sänger, the Ovenbird  is the Pieperwaldsänger. Then I listened to their voices. 

Now I know your poems characterized them perfectly. Thank you for this.

It made me smile to read you had looked up the German names for these birds. Warblers are such a wonderful big family of birds, in such a variety. Climate change and habitat loss means their numbers have been in a steep decline. There are some old friends I haven’t heard or seen in years. Thank you for reading these and for your response! 

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