The Grackle

Once upon a summer morn aglow, my wife and I decided to go
To a lovely park some sixty miles away.
The place is called Laguna Niguel where birding always go well.
As we entered a verdant dell gentle breezes made the leaves sway
Squirrels and chipmunks scampered and engaged in rowdy play
It was a lovely day!

Then as I stood 'neath a tree, I heard a soft tweedle dee.
Intrigued by the sound I resolved here to stay.
Soon came an eerie cackle, a snort, a tweet and a gaggle
A long whistle and a prattle. I could not shift my eyes away
From the branches above me as I began to pray
To spare me from this horror that comes my way.

Suddenly the noises stopped and to my front a dark bird plopped
It stared at me and opened its beak as if wanting to say
Some words of deep sagacity beyond my mortal mental capacity.
As I await in chilling trepidity, it uttered a spray
Of plurks and prrrts and a plethora of sounds in great array
That filled the air that summer day

“Speak, O bird", I uttered feeling quite absurd,
“Speak to me, O bird, for yours is the day.”
With eyes a-sparkle, it raised its head and said, “I am a grackle.”
“I am in such a debacle”, he declared as he bowed in dismay.
“I wanted to be the new national bird of the U.S.A.
But certainly not this way..”





For more serious bird pictures and stories, please visit: