Today we are going to do identification of birds,
Birds on the seashore, birds out at sea,
Birds whose names meant nothing to me.
I must now make a spell and chant out the words.

Kentish plover, Ringed plover,
Little ringed plover too,
Golden plover, Grey plover,
Dotterel make a few,
and let’s not confuse
Dunlin, Sanderling, with Knot,
Green Shank with Red Shank
Or take a Stint or two.

That’s just the start
of the spell we need to weave,
If we go to the seashore,
Where there’s a chance to breathe.
Breathe deep and wonder
The vast variety of birds.
Stand in awe and thunder
Storms brewing words
Words we never knew
Words which are a sign
Words in different languages
For birds at the end of a line.
Will we never know
How many we have lost
Far out at sea
Can we count the cost?
The curlew is out there
With its haunting cry.
The whimbrel is whimpering
The waters have run dry.
Kentish plover, Ringed plover,
Little ringed plover too,
Golden plover, Grey plover,
Dotterel make a few,
and let’s not confuse Dunlin,
Sanderling, with Knot
Or lose a Stint or two.
I liked your poem 🙂 I have to confess to dreadful ignorance on the subject of birds. They move so quickly. I can never keep up!
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The seashore around February is a good time as they are fairly still as they wade around! And really good binoculars. Ours are still a missing mystery.
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Me gusta tu poema sobre los pájaros! When I can get close enough to see them clearly their little feet and legs have always fascinated me!!
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Yo tambien! It is amazing watching them.
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Lots of Plovers, I am so bad at their ID. I wish I was better. Even the poem mentions many.
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They are all quite difficult to distinguish but the Algarve has those ones! Intriguing variety though!
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… Very nice and a creatively written tribute to our beautiful wading birds. I like the Grey plover photo’ and the boat photo’ best. The boat photograph symbolizes a balanced relationship between man and nature. Good Job!
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Thanks. The lagoon there does make for a low impact type of boating and of course the village,now mainly low level tourist homes, still has some of the fishing boats from when it sustained itself from fishing, mainly tuna, then.
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Thanks and thanks again for the nudge to make me get back to some poetic lines.have another one now about plastics and the sea…
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Wonderful. I can’t wait to read it!
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Hi – I am humbled by your poem. Birds are a wonder.
Thanks for all your likes and comments – best wishes Opher
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Your poems have great depth. Thanks again!
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