Charity Marie Blogs!

BCOF DAY 2239: Birds on the Brain

Prompt: January 5 is National Bird Day. Do you have a favorite bird? If so, what is it? Why is it your favorite? If you don't have a favorite bird, tell us about the birds in your area of the country or world.

Birds? Really? Okay, so I have a confession to make. I'm sometimes scared by birds. Not really individual ones, but you know those huge flocks of them? I saw this really creepy movie once which will remain nameless due to the chills the thought of it gives me and ever since then, they creep me out. Not to mention the idea of being crapped on by a bird doesn't appeal to me in the slightest.

In Texas, no matter where you go, you will often find huge flocks of birds. I'm not sure what it is about this state - the temperate climate? Abundance of food? But every day close to sunset you will find flocks amassed on power lines and in trees in every city in the state. Without fail. Typically they're crows and ravens, which is even creepier, especially if you've studied Edgar Allen Poe. Like at all. The Raven ring any bells?

Excerpt of The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe ▼

“Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting—
“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!

Pigeons are cute with their cooing but they're messy feathery friends to be sure. There are some birds which never fail to bring a smile to my face. The vocal and pretty plumaged parrot. The bright red robin, who comes to usher in spring's gentle breezes and spread seeds so things may grow. Or the pretty bluebird. The impossibly fast hummingbird, so dainty and swift. Or the Northern mockingbird, Texas' state bird (if you can believe it's also Florida's state bird as well). Or the fierce eagle and hawk, so elusive, so predatory, and so majestic. The rarely seen owl swooping through the trees for its meal, a scurrying mouse. I always root for them to catch their prey.

When I lived in Florida, I loved the graceful flamingo, the persistent pelican, the cheerful chirping seagulls. The impressive peacock strutting around.

In Indiana I loved ducks and geese (watch out, they're territorial and aggressive in spring). I spent many an hour feeding them and watching them.

I don't really have a favorite. How could I when they're all so unique? As long as they're not in flocks overhead that is.



Charity Marie
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