January 14: Sanibel

Spent the day birding with my husband and my mother in one of my favorite places: Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

 

White pelican

has a nine-foot wingspan.

But the spoonbill is pink!

 

Posted with Blogsy

January 13: Sunset at Myakka Lake State Park

Neither our close presence

nor the trumpeting cranes

spooked the feeding doe.

 

Sunset over Myakka Lake

 

Posted with Blogsy

January 12: Stump Pass Beach State Park

Finding sharks' teeth

among the shells--

childhood memory revived.

Here's my grandfather and I collecting sharks' teeth in 1980 at nearby Englewood Beach

Here's my mom collecting sharks' teeth today

January 11: Flight to Florida

After Bangor was enshrouded by ice yesterday morning and our flight was delayed five hours, we felt very fortunate to be on the only plane leaving the airport that afternoon. Our gratitude was bolstered by the fact that on the drive to the airport we passed many cars off the road--even after conditions had improved--and when we got there, we were surrounded by hundreds of troops--men and women who had been deployed for months overseas and who were now going to have to wait one more long day to continue their flights home to family.

 

I felt relief tinged with a little guilt when we finally arrived in the warm embrace of Florida late last night for our vacation.

 

Outside the airport

Killdeer cries in the rainy dark

beyond the palms.

 

And then this unexpected stopover on the drive to my mother's house:

 

Part of this happy crowd--

cheering on the Patriots

in a smoky Hooters bar.

Posted with Blogsy

January 10: Woodpecker tree

At Beech Hill Preserve today came upon a large dead tree, still standing, which has been vigorously attended to by a Pileated Woodpecker this winter. The bark-less trunk is pitted with extensive excavation work, and piles of fresh wood chips surround its snowy base.

Every day the woodpecker
returns for more.
I understand that hunger.

January 9: Hibernation

Reading about
hibernating bears
my eyelids grow heavy.

January 8: Breath

It blooms from my mouth,

this stuff of life--

vapor, then nothing.

Posted with Blogsy

January 7: Landscape of home

Driving Route One south from Belfast this afternoon, enjoyed the brief, wan sunlight shining on the gray winter waters of the bay and the familiar line-up of islands that I've recognized since childhood.

Same islands in the bay
that as a child I named
from my grandmother's porch.

January 6: Sliding in to work on rain-slick ice

As e.e. cummings said,
"let all go dear
so comes love."

January 5: Beach birding

Pine Point Beach, Scarborough, ME

Perfect winter beach day:
horses on the sand,
loons in the scope.

January 4: House Sparrow conclave

Suddenly they're there:
hundreds of sparrows
arise from the bird-less hedge.