Summer’s Gold shining
Goldfinch finding lunchtime meal
One seed at a time
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Sunflower Seeds
A Touch of Gold (haiku)
Flash of gold outside
Goldfinch harvests sunflowers
dumping fiber shells
Posing for photos
Spreading his wings he flies off
A glorious array
*****
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Birdseed to Sunflowers (haiku)
Seeds drop as birds eat
Sunflowers rise tall and strong
Small bees paradise
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Cravings
Birds and squirrels risk all
for a mouthful of my seeds
Babies coming soon
Fighting over who eats first
All scatter when the trap snaps
***
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Today at d’Verse, Tricia asked us to write a poem that includes the word risk. Join us at: https://dversepoets.com
White Breasted Nuthatch
White Breasted Nuthatch
Feasts on my sunflower seeds
Free lunch over grubs
Photos; Dwight L. Roth
Chipmunk Wisdom
Winter’s long lock-down
Even Chipmunks hoard my seeds
We hoard toilet rolls
*****
Makes me wonder who’s smarter
At least the chipmunk will eat
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Hanging On…
Cardinal hanging on
Shelling out sunflower seeds
Precarious perch
Many still shut in struggling
Living on the edge each day
***
Photo: Dwight L. Roth
Birds are Timeless
A pair of house finches pull sunflower seeds through the mesh. A new year has begun for us; but, for them it is still a matter of survival. Hopefully, my feeder provides them with needed resources as winter comes on strong.
Time keeps on ticking
Means nothing to my finches
Everyday’s the same
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Today at D’Verse Poets Pub, Bjorn asked us to write a Haibun that refers to the new decade starting and new beginnings.
Join us at: https://dversepoets.com
Squirrely Games
The squirrel fishes out the sunflower seeds from the suet feeder. Paws covered with suet, he gobbles down the seeds as fast as he can. Today, I decided to play mind games with him, so I went out on the deck and stood there watching him and shooting photos as he ran back up the chain and onto the roof. I was only eight feet away from the pole he used to climb up on the roof, but he still thought he would try to come down. I jumped at him and he went back up on the roof. He ran back and forth trying to figure another way down. The open roof is a dangerous place for squirrels. Another squirrel lost got picked off by a hawk last week. You can see the results on the edge of the rain gutter in front of the squirrel. As soon as I went back in, he was right back on my suet feeder eating again! He has been coming all winter long!
Squirrel gobbles suet seeds
Risks his life for full stomach
Hawk watching the roof
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Downey Woodpecker
This Downey has been coming to my suite feeder and enjoying my sunflower seeds all winter. I see him and his mate, who has no red markings on her head coming back and forth. They are such a pleasure to watch. During the winter months they come every day.
Downey and Hairy woodpeckers are almost identical in coloration. The Downey is much smaller in size and has a much shorter beak than the Hairy, according to audobon.org . Another indicator is the red patch on the top of the head of the male. In the Downey, the red patch is usually solid all the way across. On the hairy it is split.
Up to his eyeballs
in suet cake, Downey feasts.
Saves headaches for spring
Photos: Dwight L. Roth
Roth Poetry 