Glioblastoma and Bohemian Waxwings: Birds for Anne Le texte français suit le texte anglais. Bohemian Waxwings, last winter in Domaine de Maizerets, Quebec City. Photo credit Leigh Bateman My wife Anne, who has terminal brain cancer, known as glioblastoma, is a bird and nature lover who is soothed in her suffering by such images. These..
For the love of sparrows: A feathered nest of memories from childhood and adolescence Sparrows generally don’t get good press. Bird enthusiasts often find them drab and banal, and others label them invasive species and disparage them as scavenger gourmets. But there are so many reasons to adore sparrows. My wife loves..
Great Grey Owl Frowning: A Haiku poem for a dark night of the soul Stark, not debonair, This owl, a stern taskmaster, A conscience with wings. Great Grey Owl/ Chouette lapone photo credit Leigh Bateman Great Gray Owl Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology When the owl sings, the night..
Splendid, resilient birds in freezing rain: a Tanka poem Beauty breaks the ice; The storm within subsides; Ethereal glimpse. Revelation with feathers, Gone… irretrievably lost? Photo credit @Lorne Coughlin Facebook Photo credit @ (20+) Beauty Of The Don (Toronto,DonValley) | Facebook Tanka poems follow a set of rules. They all have five lines and each..
Goldfinch in stark winter: a Tanka poem Photo credit Lorne Coughlin Goldfinch, puffed out… Protection or foolish pride? Too recognizable… We are so far from golden, But seem compelled to puff. Tanka poetry Tanka poems follow a set of rules. They all have five lines and each line follows a pattern: the first line has..
Avian and human grief …a cinquain poem Owl grieves… A loss of mate; We mourn, anticipate A certain fate … Bereavement is To come. https://chirpforbirds.com/bird-brain/do-birds-have-feelings/ “There are many instances of birds expressing grief and even engaging in mourning rituals, showing that sadness isn’t just a human state. It’s interesting to note that birds exhibit..