5.19.2013

Postcards from Paradise, Mockingbird

 I listened to this little tyke chirp for days
Calling his mom to come feed him bugs
I watched him test his wings
Trying to gain height
Too young yet
I watched as he opened his mouth wide
And received all manner of icky juicy bugs
Oh how he loved them.
 
Then I saw a black snake
A black racer that lives in the neighborhood
A frequent visitor to our yard
Chase after this baby mockingbird
Looking for his own dinner
 
Watching out the window, I saw mother and father
Mockingbird
Surround that black, slithering thing
Wings spread
Trying to look BIG and FEROCIOUS
Like  wild, snake-eating beasts
And it worked
Snake slithered under the fence
Baby was saved
Such courage!
Such mother/father love
 
 
 
I could not resist
Crawling behind foliage 
To take his picture
In the place where he tried to hide from predators
(Like me perhaps)
Listening to his mother's frantic chirps to stay silent
Stay still
And suddenly I felt the peck at the back of my head
The sharpness of a wing beating against my cheek
Like a true predator I fled from this mother's wrath
 
Again, such courage by
Mother/Father love
 
 
 
The Mocking-Bird
 
In mirth he mocks the other birds at noon,
Catching the lilt of every easy tune;
But when the day departs he sings of love, -
His own wild song beneath the listening moon.
                                    Henry Van Dyke
 
Linked to more Paradise at:
Rebecca
 

10 comments:

  1. {{ oh oh
    i know him well
    this mockingbird,
    with his turned down beaky*bill ...

    he
    lives
    in my yard
    with all
    his family
    as he is
    the state bird of My Florida !!

    & he will try to fool you
    with his call
    trying to make you think
    he is somebody else ...

    say ...
    i just realized you must B my neighbor
    as i have a 36" long
    -- measured only this very morning --
    black racer living
    in my front yard, too !!

    go figure !!

    :-)

    yes
    yes
    you R in Florida, 2!!
    i did not realize until Now
    this very minute
    we share the same
    state
    birds
    snakes
    &
    paradise !!


    oh happy day
    from st augustine ♥ }}

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  2. dear judie,
    i love your story of love, teaming with courage and new life! and i am all smiles reading somepinkflowers and her happy discovery that you are neighbors! oh that we would all walk outside, open armed, willing hearts and see, truly see that we are all family,
    xoxoxox

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  3. Great photo adventure sneaking behind the foliage and getting attacked by wild mother bird. Isn't it amazing we never even have to leave home to experience wildlife. Ahhh love it.
    :-)

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  4. Your story touches my mother heart, and the picture pulls at my heart strings, thank you for a view of your share of paradise. x

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  5. what an amazing story! love for our young is indeed ferocious at times!

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  6. wow...life stories! that little face...oh my

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  7. Oh how I love your story of the adult birds caring so fiercely for the fledge! Thanks for sharing!Red

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  8. Such avian tenderness and wrath!

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  9. Oh my. What drama. So glad baby is well and snake missed a meal - well, THAT meal. Good mommy and daddy.

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