I spent half an hour in my yard with camera in hand; these are 2 mockingbirds and 2 hummingbirds that were entertaining me. Both types of birds are very talkative and perform many antics.

I’ve loved this poem since I first read it decades ago in high school:

The Windhover
To Christ Our Lord

I caught this morning morning’s minion, king-
dom of daylight’s dauphin, dapple-dawn-drawn Falcon, in his riding
Of the rolling level underneath him steady air, and striding
High there, how he rung upon the rein of a wimpling wing
In his ecstasy! then off, off forth on swing,
As a skate’s heel sweeps smooth on a bow-bend: the hurl and gliding
Rebuffed the big wind. My heart in hiding
Stirred for a bird, – the achieve of, the mastery of the thing.

Brute beauty and valour and act, oh, air, pride, plume, here
Buckle! AND the fire that breaks from thee then, a billion
Times told lovelier, more dangerous, O my chevalier!

No wonder of it: shéer plód makes plough down sillion
Shine, and blue-bleak embers, ah my dear,
Fall, gall themselves, and gash gold-vermilion.

~Gerard Manley Hopkins, written in 1877

It’s about a kestrel, which is a symbol for Christ, but it applies to many birds…”My heart…stirred for a bird, – the achieve of, the mastery of the thing.”

Abandoned Nest

Almost seems like an appropriate Easter week post.