“ A Common Harbinger “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ A Common Harbinger “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

A common harbinger
of Spring identified
by calling, “fee-be”
as the first bird banding
siting longevity and fidelity
including hardiness
avidly repeating,
“FEE-be FEE-be FEE-be”
many times per minute
2 broods per year
sometimes three
while tail pumping
deemed, “common
and increasing”
nests attached to beams
lined with grass and weeds
defending territories
rolling, “prrrrrrrrrreeet”
” wheep! wheep! “
in high canopies
and in crowns of trees
eating beetles
crickets and katydids
plus fruits and berries
incubating 4-8 eggs
for 13-15 days
elliptical elongated ovate
extensive breeding ranges
cavities lined with cellophane ...

“ Split “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ Split “

by
Suzán
Jiván
Mom
&
Mom-
Mom
Suzán

Split
into
separate
species
being
easily
over-
looked
staying
hidden
occasionally
seen spotted
darting
heard singing
raspily,
“ fee-bee-o “
or
“way-bee-o”
breeding
males singing
repeatedly
having returned
in late Spring
gathering
small twigs
and bark strips
as well as rootlets
while sporting
smaller bills
plus less
distinct
eye rings
harsh burry
“ fitz-bews “
“ fitz-be-yous “
loud thick,
“ Whits! “
in dense
willow thickets
as neotropical
migrants
parasitize nests
exhibiting
weak fluttering
wings as seen
through teardropped
eye rings ...

“ Difficult to Distinguish “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ Difficult to Distinguish “

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

Difficult to distinguish visually
barely overlapping like differing
voices tending to look out onto thick
trees and dense shrubbery
sailing to feed singing, “ah-de-dee”
taking spiders ‘n’ bees fairly
common and widespread
yet possibly in decline
due to loss of wintering habitats
still sallying back and forth to catch
insects in midair nesting in grasses
saddled on horizontal branches
being built by females
laying wreathed eggs
sporting olive washes
on breasts and subsisting
on mountain ashe during spells
of inclement weather hawking insects
wings fluttering incessantly
strenuously jerking tails and heads
lording over insect realms
while softly calling, “peace”
or “peeet” mechanically uttering,
“ ti ti ti “ in between canopies
frantically beating wings
long streamers hanging beneath ...

“ Often Found “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ Often Found “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Often found
on the ground
yellow shafted
and red mustached
with white
rump patches
while eating ants
becoming noisy
and animated
driving
rivals away
nesting
on poles
posts
buildings
and banks
laying
3 - 12 eggs
tan faces
gray napes
pileated
courtship
displays
drumming
to attract
mates
roosting
before
eggs
are
layed
“Yucka
Yucka
Yucka”
changing
in
cadence
monogamous
incubation
adapting
to habitat
changes
olive sides
and flanks
eagerly
eating
honeybees
beetles
and cicadas
frequenting
mountain
lakes
factoring in
deforestation
laying
pinkish buff eggs
sporting
black feet and legs
within
overlapping ranges
showing
dark colorations
feasting
on flies and bees
moths and beetles
distinctly whistling,
“ pee-a-wee pee-a-wee
pee-a-wee pee-year pee-year” ...

“ Plunging Head First “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán...

“ Plunging Head First “

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

Plunging head first from a perch
catching fishes sporting shaggy crests
and white spots in front of our eyes
with populations on the decline
vigorously drilling
while sounding like a chicken,
“ kerr-uck kerr-uck “ often hunting
living in snags or stumps white rumps
grayish faces reddish washes on bellies
and in between legs
conspicuously vocalizing
incubation 11-14 days
red crowns and napes
white primaries
voices quavering
during roller coaster flights
wings folded a great deal of the time
while sometimes using abandoned
nest holes for homes
low growling
nasal mewing
boring holes
in horizontal rows
going coast to coast
allowing closer
approaches
issuing
high-pitched
call notes ...

“ Often Referred To “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ Often Referred To “

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

Often referred to as, “A cigar with wings”
seen diligently building
nests in chimneys of concrete and brick
needing to feed their young
‘til they’re old enough
to fly out of the chimney on their own
as hundreds swirl at dusk
above man-made structures
chattering gregariously
performing extreme dihedral Vs
during courtship darting erratically
then soaring on thermal drafts
forming saucer halves
incubating stained white eggs
emerging hatchlings of sooty grays
twittering calling cascading
covering extensive ranges catching their prey
where bee balms come much much later
both wild and domesticated
displaying greenish sides and flanks
downsloping cone shapes
perching along fresh waterways
taking crustaceans digging burrows in banks
while luringly calling, “Jay! Jay!” ...

“Adult Birds” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán...

” Adult Birds “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Adult birds
flutter
their gular pouches
in order
to cool down
females
are very similar
to males
yet they lack
white tailbands
as a species
knicknamed,
“ Bull Bats “
in The South
making raspy
nasal sounds
and feeding
all over
small towns
emitting
low croaks
and/or growls
tan feathers
on throats
and tails
wings rounded
cavernous mouthes
sporting 2-inch gaps
bristly enabling
the trapping of prey
in both pine-oaks
and live-oaks
as buoyant silent flyers
difficult to locate
and to identify
by sitting lengthwise
with large eyes
for sighting creatures
of the night
red eyes shining
while oozing
glue-like saliva ...

“Whoo! Whoo-whoo-whoo! Whoo! Whoo!” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“Whoo! Whoo-whoo-whoo! Whoo! Whoo!”

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

Whoo! Whoo-whoo-whoo! Whoo! Whoo!
“You awake? Me too!”
heavily bodied large headed
luring predators away from nests
with simple depressions
buffy heads migration irregular
becoming hard to detect
“Who cooks for you?
Who cooks for you-all?”
ear tufts far apart
horizontal barring
sounding like a barking
whining puppy
perching close to trees
hunting over open fields
undigested bones and teeth
short eared no barring no streaking
floppy wing beats seen quartering
over small tawny colonies
sounding like a saw ...

“ A Familiar Sight “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ A Familiar Sight “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

A familiar sight
small pinkish fawn
heads and necks
mournfully calling
seeds in organs
sucking up water
forming, “pigeons’ milk”
for its many hatchlings
common and increasing
inspite of being legally
harvested as game each year
hearing staccato shrieks
and screams wings whistling
eggs short and elliptical
becoming exotic and very popular
skulking in deep woodland forests
seen feeding on hairy tent caterpillars
in damp dense thickets decurved bills
dark upper mandibles and tips
singing monotonously,
“ka-ka-ka-ka-
kow-kow-kow-kow
kowlp—kowlp—kowl”
pruning down while slipping
quietly and steadily through tangles
as solitary nesters silently
flying moth like
nonmigratory
in gradual
decline ...

“Silent at Sea” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ Silent at Sea “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Silent at sea
becoming noisy
around breeding
colonies
using wings
to “fly”
underwater
eating
fish and squid
compressing
bills
laterally
in winter
white breasts
extending
up to chins
weakly
whistling
tails angling
underwings
smaller
yellow bills
having
to patter
across water
in order
to become
airborne
being raised
in pigeon lofts
singing
repetitive
songs,
“coo-a-roo,
coo-a-roo,
coo-a-roo,
coo-roo-coo,
coo-roo-coo“
5 or more broods ...

“ Black Bodied “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ Black Bodied “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Black bodied
breeding
in inland marshes
white collared
fresh water marshes
partially nocturnal
semiprecocial young
vulnerable to runners
winter flocks wheeling
twisting and gliding
in synchrony
with measured wing beats
no materials needed
while laying ovate
bluish white eggs
some migration
donning short red legs
chubby auks
being used as a food source
wintering offshore
lacking eye adornment
forming large rafts on water
becoming protected by laws
laying pear-shaped eggs
adapted to turn in circles
making soft, “murrrs”
short wings whirring ...

“ I The Whitest; II The Second Largest; III The Smallest” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

I “ The Whitest “
The whitest species
nearly exterminated
in order to adorn hats
black crowns stout bills
stocky bodies
white underparts
moderately forked tail
upperparts pale
raspy sharp, “ge-rek”
catching insects
casual to accidental
while concealing detritus
hatching and hiding
in dense small ends
being fed by both sexes
distinctly whistling,
“ whee-you “
II The Second Largest
The second largest
early summer adults
shaggy black forked tails
seen snatching
food from pouches
squawking monogamous
pumpkin-orange
mixed colonies
mottled dark markings
roosting on bars
pinkish tinges on underparts
gray outer margins
following the common
“ kik-kik-kik “
in breeding season
almost complete
hovering when feeding
generally wreathed
frosty wings
III The Smallest
The smallest
yet very protective
of its nests
seen divebombing
screeching
and releasing
droppings
dusky carpal bars
swooping
capturing prey
regurgitating
airy wing beats
buoyantly
and gracefully
hovering
however briefly
then dipping
down and seizing eels
lined with debris
pale to buff green
marshes prairies
strange grays
attached ear patches
squeaky, “ ka-sheek “
following people
uneven foraging
stopping and starting
long winged
dried stalks and reeds
pairs heard singing
in late evening
camouflaged by coloring
while loafing on beaches ...

“Named” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ Named “

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

Named for its call of, “Kittiwake”
showing dark smudges across the nape
Pacific Ranges reddish-coral legs
pelagic takes crustaceans from ships
nesting on sides of buildings
laying semielliptical speckled eggs
incubation 25-32 days
returns to nests at night
after first flights migrating
over open oceans as seen over
the arctic and the subarctic drinking
only salt water shorter broader billed
swimming dipping for small fish
tail black tipped big black letters
stretching from wing tip to wing tip
while uttering, “ock-ock-ock” ...

“Restricted” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ Restricted “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Restricted
white wing tips
primaries
translucent in flight
plunging while flying
exhibiting
purple orbital rings
while wintering
with yellow not pink feet
eating seaweed
wading swimming
scavenging in the interior
nests lined with lichens
splotched juveniles
slight red rings
around dark eyes
smaller in size
usually silent
making prattling-like
quacks while flying
feeding primarily
on bird eggs and lemmings
being fed by both sexes
soon independent yet lumbering
slowly and steadily bills slender
becoming highly aggressive
calling, “hah-hah-hah”
screeching, “keeeeeeee-aaahh!” ...

“ Distinguished” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ Distinguished “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Distinguished
rarely seen
from land
outside
of breeding
white collar
black cap
yellow cheeks
blue-gray
legs and feet
dispersed
widely at sea
hovering dipping
deep wing beats
black bars
on underwings
hesitantly
wavering
trailing legs
while laying
ovate
greenish-gray
eggs
shrieking
whistles
and a call
of  “cheeer”
pale eyes
red
orbital rings
black-
banded
yellow bills
wading
and swimming
ecological
adaptability
alterations
of habitats
continuing
to expand
spots
on lower
mandibles
loud,
“ cleew, cleew “
while feeding
on refuse ...

“ Around the Time “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ Around the Time “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Around the time of high tide
long-distance flying
high-pitched bat like
striped eyes bellies snow white
climbing zigzagging flight
tightly synchronized
wintertime migrants
whistling rattling trilling
downcurved bills
wading belly deep
probing stitching motions
generally unapproachable
upright like a plover
overlapping breeding species
singing, “tiddle-whee”
especially in Spring
small colonies of buff green
one brood per year
nonvocal winnowing
lined with leaves
wet and boggy splotchy
nocturnal
dark barrings and markings
walking slowly
back and forth rocking motions
brown spots ovals
known to be polygamous
along rocky slopes
chocolate-brown underwing coverts
broken by short strokes
yelping notes rising, “skooo-a!” ...

“ Most Widespread “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

“ Most Widespread “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Most widespread trailing edges
for solitary nesters
with distinctive silhouettes
seen perching on fences
long slender necks small dovelike heads
running stopping then running again
in monogamous loose colonies
tended and protected by both sexes
streaked breasts and sides of heads
eggs speckled inland lakes
migration in straight-line formation
“ toe-wit, god-wit, whit “
cinnamon upturned bills
dusky tips dark chinned black billed
light colored in winter intermingling
frequently sleeping while standing
bills turned back zigzag patterns
rufous on scapulars larger lankier
raspy, “jeet” or “cheet” ...

“ A Cautious Nature “ ...

“ A Cautious Nature “

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

A cautious nature displaying a bright
white wing stripe in flight above nests lined
with dried grasses mosses and lichens
migrating by day or night while
clearly whistling “chee-wee, chur-wee,
 chu-weet” creamy pink legs and feet
gregarious in post-breeding seasons
eating fly larvae high on the beach
both wings dragging suddenly yielding
with good visibility chisel-tipped bills
actively hammering and chipping
seen walking gracefully on mudflats and shores
with a varied voice sharp, “kips”
plus musical “pill-e-wees” well after hatching
exhibiting streaks on flanks upright stances
sleeping while standing on land white rumps and tails ...

“ Allowing “ ...

“ Allowing “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Allowing close approaches
while wandering widely
over red eyed short flights
acting shy and retiring
yet still glistening with green
constantly gobbling on farmlands
scaly bodies with rufous underparts
deemed “uncommon to common”
narrow barring shallow margins
coastal foraging black-and-buff spots
short tails cocked legs red gartered...

“ One of the Fastest “ ...

“ One of the Fastest “

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

One of the fastest of in-flight males
showing large white squares
running with wings flapping
across both water and land

big beaded and chunky uttering,
“chuck-chuck-chuck-chuck-churrr”
distinctly diural uniquely curved
into one third of a circle
while soaring on thermals

capturing prey driven by flames
polygamous up to three mates
within nesting ranges marshy terrain
bright yellow legs black crowns and faces

laying bluish eggs while surprising their prey
with nest-stained-greenish-white eggs
feeling unafraid appearing pale and gray
over succeeding generations ...

“ The Smallest “ ...

“ The Smallest “

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

The smallest with the largest crest
raised and lowered during display
white patches as seen on secondaries
swimming swiftly thin serrated bills
flying quickly appearing puffy
leaving the best redheaded
eggs almost spherical
in deep tree cavities
pattering across
choppy water
far far North
short ragged
takeoffs ...

“ Puffy-Headed “ ...

“ Puffy-Headed “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Puffy-headed
diving ducks
black breasts
white crescents
white-ringed bills
clear from a distance
feeding on insects
guttural croaking
“ gag/gag/gag “
white head black cap
pale green patches
chevron patterns
valuable down
bordering crown
wintering grounds
whistling sounds
uniform wings
without markings
stubby bills pinkish rings
brilliant molting annually
diving frequently
freshwater breeding
yet belying agility
low squealing
in tight flocks
while flying high
with golden eyes...

“ Considered to Be “ ...

“ Considered to Be “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Considered to be the most beautiful
of species while walking easily
‘n’ perching in trees

monogamously breeding
increasing often appearing
beneath folded wing

yellowish legs and feet
low quacking shrill whistling
feeding on plant material

foraging in fields rufous and gray
incubation first flight in 60 days
nicknamed, “ baldpate”

due to climate change
laying greenish buff eggs
in salt marshes ‘n’ bays

concealed by vegetation
aiming for further conservation
via the earliest migrations

hayfield prairie
greater diameters
powder-blue patches

feebly quacking
short grasses
zigzagging pintails

planing into landings
agile and fast
dropping rapidly...

“ At Home “ ...

” At Home “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

At home in coastal mangroves
white crowns white cheek patches
eating acquatic metallic
green purple glossy backed
crayfish and crabs marsh plants
quick flaps short tails
wings flat squared sooty black
primarily carrion marked with lavender
hissing growling U-shaped rump patches
high-pitched laughter dabbling on land
feeding on grasses nest-building females
white undertails black grinning patches
established chin strapped high rapid cackling
lined with down dark brown backs
white scallops long wing spans
spectacular “Wow-how-hows!”
pink acquatic submerged plants
feet protruding beneath tails
increasingly expanding bonding pairs...

“ Found All Over “ ...

” Found All Over “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Found all over most coasts
bold throaty croaks
lacy long trains
catching crayfish and snakes
laying light blue eggs
yellow legs startling prey
vibrating at close range
molting from white to gray
ovate bluish-green eggs
big headed thick necked
short legged bold abrasive
overhanging prey named,
“Night Raven” low harsh “woe”
“Don’t swim too closely!” ...

“ Still Listed “ ...

“ Still Listed “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Still listed as “threatened”
making snakelike “hisses”
flying in long lines
flapping and gliding
exhibiting green sheens
in certain lighting
gutterally grunting
using feet for propulsion
fledging young
wintering in small numbers
“punk - er - lunk”
heard at dusk
may be polygamous
shy secretive
seldom seen
well concealed
heavily streaked
considered
separate species
frequenting
grassy fields
mostly silent
except in colonies
squawking cries
standing still
for long periods of time
grabbing fish
with daggerlike bills...

“ The One “ ...

“ The One “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

The one most likely
to be spotted in flight
with a piercing scream, “KEEK!”
wearing black loreal masks
in noisy pairs tails cocked upwards
hovering before landing
in rigging for short periods
fluttering soaring pale buff
golden orange washes
flying like large white crosses
tails often pointed diving underwater
silent while at sea except for feeding
then heading to land to breed
courtship dancing face to face
bills raised waving
chalky white blue eggs...

“ Skimming “ ...

” Skimming “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Skimming
wrist to wingtip
looping circling
fixed wings
digging burrows
one white egg
incubation
52-55 days
white-naped
taking the bait
first flight
at 84 days
sharply angling
banking
criss-crossing wakes
hovering in place
claiming life’s mate...

“ A Better Birder “ ...

” A Better Birder “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

A better birder
stalking quietly
standing patiently
pursed lips
clenched teeth
“ pishing
“ squeaking “
“ kissing “
seasonal species
breeding regional
record keeping
listening
to recordings
of songs
and calls
piquing
curiosity ...