May 21: Petals

I'm not ready:
already, azalea petals
scatter on the lawn.

May 20: Apple blossoms

Hungry for this:
depths of pink blossoms,
small birds feeding among them.

May 19: Freedom Mill School

This morning I helped lead ten children on a rainy bird walk near their school in Freedom, through wet farm fields and woods. We saw a nesting Killdeer, heard Bobolinks singing, watched Tree Swallows go in and out of nest boxes, and got a good look at a striking black-and-red American Redstart. Then we went inside and talked about our favorite birds, like chickadees and puffins.

Birding with children--
of course the bobolink
sounds like R2D2.

May 16 - 18: Back on Monhegan

Spent the past three days on Monhegan Island, about 15 miles off the coast of Maine in Muscongus Bay. While this incredibly scenic place is an artist colony and a popular tourist destination, this time of year it's all about the birds. Monhegan lies in the Atlantic flyway and is a notorious migrant trap; many species rarely seen anywhere else in Maine show up there during the spring and fall flights.

 

It's still early spring out there, with leaves just budding and only the earliest of flowers blooming. Intermittent thick fog added to the chill. But the birds, the birds were on the move, impelled north by forces they don't understand, adding color, and joy, to the spare island landscape.

 

Manana Goats

 

Back on the island

goats loosed for summer--

their joy is mine.

 

 

Burnt Head in Fog

 

Shifting island fog

reveals in surf below

errant buoys, eiders.

 

 

Hooded Warbler

 

Early morning calm--

hers is the only motion,

yellow of first light.

 

 

Orioles

 

A bounty of orange

appearing, disappearing--

hungry for more.

 

 

 

 

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May 15: Anniversary

My husband and I celebrated our 12th anniversary tonight (two days early because I will be away this weekend) at Primo, one of Maine's best restaurants. One of the reasons Primo is so good is that they take farm-to-table seriously: they grow many of their own vegetables and raise their own pigs and chickens on-site. After an amazing, 2-1/2-hour meal, we stepped outside to be wowed again by the starry sky.

 

Anniversary dinner--

bright Venus hovers

over the pig pen.

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May 14: As the day calmly ends

Backyard pastoral:

a man and his cat watching

sun flare on the river.

May 13: Too much

Robin's egg sky,
garish new poplar leaves--
even the wind can't handle it.

May 12: In the mist

A scene from "Wuthering Heights"--

misty barrens,

unseen sparrow singing.

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May 11: Flash of red

Cardinal flies past

as we drive to the restaurant--

is passion so fleeting?

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May 10: Bird hike

Hiked in Camden Hills State Park this morning, up Cameron Mountain. The woods are finally filling up with bird song. I was serenaded mainly by Black-throated Green Warblers (I counted 20) and Ovenbirds (28) but also heard some other spring favorites: Wood Thrush, Winter Wren, Brown Creeper, and Blue-headed Vireo (36 total species). The leaves are budding and the birds are returning--an invigorating season!

 

Head up, birding by ear

I almost miss seeing

flowering Wild Oats.

 

 

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May 9: Love songs

While I fill my tank

two chickadees singing--

nature's radio.

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