[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Siskins, Creeper in Morris Creek




Twas the week before Christmas 
And all through the house 
All the creatures were stirring 
Inside and out.

The husband was pushing a broom,
The dog was chewing a rawhide,
I was dusting in the living room
And watching the feeders for Project Feederwatch.

The feeders were quite busy
With seasonal highs of goldfinches
And the house finches were in a tizzy
On the platform and tube feeders.

I picked up the glasses 
To count the finches on the feeders
Where I thought there were finch lasses,
Intently splitting sunflower seeders.

What to my wondering eyes should appear 
But a flock of House Finches and five tiny Pine Siskins.
To the land of Carolina Wren and White-tail Deer,
A bird from the alpine North had flown and was here.

All of sudden there arose such a clatter,
Over at the suet feeders, two Downy Woodpeckers.
Privileges at the suet was the matter.
I turned quickly to observe the chatter.

Wheeling about, glasses to face,
I was surprised to see a Brown Creeper
Climbing up the large pine tree apace
As the Downies worked out their place.

No Purple Finches or Fox Sparrows today
But there is still time  
For more visitors from the Northern way.
There is still time before Y2K.

  ---with apologies to Clement Moore

Donna Bailey
Winnsboro, SC
e-mail: dsbailey@conterra.com
URL: http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey
     "Where are the Birds?  Migration across South Carolina"
URL: http://www.conterra.com/dsbailey/audubon	
    "Columbia Audubon Society"