Something positive in a negative world.
With Thanks to the Field Sparrow, Whose Voice is so Delicate and Humble
I do not live happily or comfortably
with the cleverness of our times.
The talk is all about bombs and blood.
This morning, in the fresh field,
I came upon a hidden nest.
It held four warm, speckled eggs.
I touched them.
Then went away softly,
having felt something more wonderful
than all the electricity in New York City.
The caption, ‘A field sparrow sing from a branch …’ of the photo above the poem, ‘Wisdom from Mary Oliver’ in today’s edition of Nature For My Soul’ appears to me to be incorrect because the bird (small in the photo, and especially the large bird image above it have a cluster of streaks forming a blotch on the breast, which are characteristic of the Song Sparrow, not the Field Sparrow.
It is my familiarity with the Song Sparrow that made me see this because, lacking a vehicle, I don’t get out much to develop my bird ID skills for some years now , and I call myself a birdwatcher, photographer, and poet instead of a birder (lister).
Hey Murray,
Yes, you are correct, it is a song sparrow, not a field sparrow. My bad. In my haste I found this photo and not one of a field sparrow, but then labeled it incorrectly. Thanks for keeping me on my toes!