I heard this child’s question as we stood on the bridge at Humber Bay overlooking a sandbar below. Here is the scene that unfolded:
“They’re having fun” was Mummy’s response. And so they were.
MYSTERY BIRD
I will identify it at the end of the post.
Male American Redstarts are brightly coloured birds:
I saw a female this morning. My Grandfather always referred to them as “Yellowstarts.”
Yellow Warblers are everywhere at the moment. The male “wears” a reddish “necklace”.
The female does not:
Other birds:
MYSTERY BIRD
The white throat and striped crown make this a White-throated Sparrow.
NATURE POETRY
May brings flocks of pretty lambs,
Skipping by their fleecy dams. – Sara Coleridge (1802–52)
Miles Hearn
Ha! “Some kind of sparrow!” I thought to myself. It’s a start. (If not a Redstart). What a difference between the American Redstart male and female! As for the title–it seemed poignant and plaintive to me, at first, and I feared it would be a baby bird witnessing a scene of older birds killing each other! And then–I felt stupid. And I was amused, and thought–“What a great answer, for a child, if the more specific answer is considered “age inappropriate” (or too complicated to explain)!
Thanks again for the wonderful pictures of wonderful birds, Miles!
Quite and assortment. I have yet to spot a Baltimore Oriole. Thanks for the many sightings.