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Friday, December 11, 2015

The Round Pen


I can't resist fog or the early morning light, so when I saw the crow perched in the heifer pasture tree, nearly hidden by a curtain of the former, yet lit up by the latter, I had to go out.



At the old round pen, I heard odd sounds. A flock of Dark-eyed Juncos scattered like leaves before the wind as I stepped near. I watched and listened for a while, until the sun rose higher and the fog was nearly gone. 



There were so many birds in and around that weed tangled old enclosure, picking at insects on the blackberry canes and leaves, that the sound was as distinct and sharp as the start of a rain after a long, lamented drought.


The Round Pen Now

And then
No honest counting. They were deep in shrubbery, so many that I thought about herring.




It was the same all the way to the pasture, through the good horse yard, and past the old, vacant-because-it-is-too-wet-and-muddy, other horse yard.

There were at least twenty juncos, thirty to fifty gold finches, cardinals, robins, over a dozen chickadees, White-throated Sparrows galore, beaucoup de Tufted Titmousies, and a pair of Carolina Wrens. Woodpeckers. Plus American Crows all over the hill and Canada Geese, heard, but not seen in all the fog.



A hundred birds? Maybe more. It was simply a stunning birdy moment.

I used to use the round pen to start Border Collies on sheep. Alas it has grown up to Box Elder and Blackberry and languishes unloved and undogged.

However, it seems that others are finding it useful in my absence. They are ever so  welcome as long as they keep paying the rent required.

A few songs, a flutter, the musical patter of their feeding on the bugs....that will do just fine.


5 comments:

Jan said...

What a delight show from your little renters. :)

Cathy said...

Your words are poetry . . . and I'm taking from your poems the heartwarming awareness that when a person shares these moments . . " . . the sound was as distinct and sharp as the start of a rain after a long, lamented drought." . . .
when you share those moments I become more and more aware that we are not alone . .. that human hearts resonate as one to the world we share and inhabit . . to the little and great gifts of nature.

Linda said...

As I've said before...you are truly a wordsmith! Our birds have all but disappeared....makes me wonder what might be instore for the rest of winter. I've seen a handful of pigeons and sparrows, two resident magpies, four sharptails and two snowy owls.

Terry and Linda said...

Your write poetry...I just love it.

Linda

threecollie said...

Jan, it was astonishing! the largest mixed feeding flock I have ever seen!

Cathy, your kind words are always good for me and i thank you

Linda, thanks. Ours seem to come and go. they are liking this long warm spell though and there are a lot around.

Lilnda, thanks!