Poetry Friday–Snow, Birds, Valentine’s…

 

Happy Poetry Friday!

Brrr, our temps are plummeting here in Chicago, but along with that we’ve received a lovely sprinkling of snow… 

windy, snowy, “brave
irene” kinda day, with pine
wiggling magic
© 2020 Michelle Kogan

I’m going to try to participate in this years  Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). It starts on Valentine’s Day, Friday February 14th and runs through February 17th. The count is run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, along with additional sponsors both US and international. Any one can participate. The organizers are interested in all us citizen scientists collecting data on wild birds from our backyard and surrounding bird-nature filled areas. You can make hand written recordings and mail them in, or transfer them to your computer at the Audubon site, or get the eBird app (I’m trying the App, this year) and record them on your smart phone or iPad. They are interested in whatever wild birds you see, from common house sparrows, cardinals, crows, to some of our more elusive birds.

I don’t know how many years I’ve been interested in birds, perhaps my entire life. I write about them and create art with them in efforts to raise more awareness about both endangered birds and birds in general. The fall issue of Audubon’s 2019 magazine is a guide to what we can due to help all the birds that we are in danger of loosing due to climate change. There are 389 birds that we may loose, and of these we may be able to save 290 of them if we can act and help slow and limit the warming of our earth’s climate. Here’s a haiku from a new bookmark in my online Etsy Shop in support of the Baird’s Sandpiper which is listed as threatened, due to climate change, it’s also on Audubon’s list.

baird’s sandpiper
surface pecks for insects
hugging shallow banks…
© 2020 Michelle Kogan

 

Baird’s Sandpiper Bookmark (set of 3) available in my Etsy Shop, the art is also available as an archival print here.

Wishing all a very Happy Valentine’s Day, Happy Bird Counting, and remember to keep all our Lovely Birds in your heart…

 

Lovebirds Archival Print, and Lovebirds Valentine’s Day Card both available in my Etsy Shop.

 

Lovely Linda Baie, at her blog Teacher Dance is hosting our Roundup for this weeks Poetry Friday, thanks Linda! Linda is sharing lots of  “sugary love” in images and poems, so meander over and check out her poetry offerings and many more…

 

Visit Renée LaTulippe’s site No Water River to find out more about what Poetry Friday is.