Mockingbird Fledgling

Fledgling (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I had a wonderful experience shared with two of my best friends. One day, Adam and I were eating lunch. I noticed a young mockingbird clinging to the windowsill outside. We sat inside at the kitchen nook. The fledgling must have been the last of its clutch. Its wings not yet strong enough to carry it to safety. I had seen the mother bird fly past a couple of times to bring it food.

Excited, I said, “Adam, look at the baby!”

Four-years-old, Adam got up from his junior table and hurried to the window. He stood close mesmerized by the little bird. The fledgling seemed unafraid of its human friends. Yet, only when we stepped away from the window did the mother mockingbird return with a juicy bug or worm to feed the fledgling. So, we took up our vigil a short distance away to help her feel comfortable enough to do this.

We worried over the little bird. Fearing that a cat or wild animal might get to it before its wings developed enough to take it to safety.

When I left for the day, the fledgling  still clung to the windowsill. I told Christie, Adam’s mother, about it. She then took up the vigil and continued to watch over the fledgling even when it moved to the safety of a folded lawn chair.

Each morning, Christie relayed the baby’s progress, saying that mother bird still brought food. Christie also put water out near the folded chair and  told of a visit from one of the little bird’s siblings. It was such a remarkable journey to share.

Several days later, Christie said the fledgling had finally flown away from its safe haven. She had seen it perched, with its mother, on the backyard fence.

More and more, I grow to adore and admire this charming bird family. Check for other stories on this blog concerning the remarkable Mockingbird, the state bird of Texas.

Bird that “Meows” Like a Cat

(Click here for blog post) https://creativemusingsoflediar.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/4477/

Sweet Warbler

(Click here for blog post.) https://creativemusingsoflediar.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/sweet-warbler/

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Moon Flower Blooming

Following the theme of my novella, Tales of Nightshade, here is a video of a “Moon Flower” blooming in ” real time”. Quite fascinating, I found this on a site about a “Witch’s Garden”.

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Tales of Nightshade: Nightshade (Part One)

(Photo found at http://tinyurl.com/bnrfdnb )

Nothing in life should you fear…

only seek to understand…          

It was the end of summer. A cool autumn breeze drifted past Brunda’s face as she gathered the herbs of the season that grew wild in this meadow. A robin’s musical voice filled the air, but the bone-bent old woman never noticed. In less than three months, it would be All Hallows’ Eve and she had much to do. She turned her eyes toward the western horizon where the sun began to settle. She gazed appreciatively into her wicker basket where bunches of delicate plants, bruised from picking, filled her nostrils with pungent aromas. She nodded her approval before walking the short distance to her cottage.

Her front porch was old and rickety, much like herself. Roses entwined the colonnades. Affixed to the front door was a placard. Brunda shoved a stray strand of silver-tinged black hair from her forehead, then ripped the paper from its nail. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she read it.

“This Property Has Been Seized by the County of Campbell. All Residents are Hereby Ordered to Vacate Within the Next Sixty Days. Signed, Jackson Appleby, The Earl of Campbell”.

“Those Snakes.” Brunda’s voice hissed through the brambles. “This is my land by right! How dare they try to make me leave?”

Brunda crumpled the hateful writ in her claw-like fingers. The paper became a small fireball and was instantly consumed. She threw open the front door and closed herself in the silent house.

Her keen eyes pierced the gloom. Shelves of books and a long work table filled one side of the room. On another wall of shelves, a hint of evening sunlight, trickled through a small window, glistening off rows of glass receptacles. At her feet, the bony tail of Mandrake the cat curled about her ankles. The feline’s yellow eyes flashed upward.

“Did you read this, my kitty?”

The cat leaped onto his mistress’s shoulder. He pur-r-r-red, and rub against Brunda’s neck. He had read the awful news and understood its implications.

“They’ll not get away with it. When I was young and foolish they chased me from my Denhalpith. They threw rocks at my back and screamed all manner of evil names. But their hateful tactics won’t work this time. They’ll find them ineffectual as those of a childhood bully toward the giant Goliath.”

With a deliberate nod, Brunda stroked the cat’s sleek, black fur.

“They won’t win this time, my kitty; not this time.”

(Continued… https://creativemusingsoflediar.wordpress.com/2013/02/17/tales-of-nightshade-nightshade-part-two/)

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“Haiku” from Tengu Prince — a fantasy action adventure set in feudal Japan

The wounded sparrow

flies into the rising sun.

His thoughts are of home.

from

Tengu Prince

FREE

for a limited time!

In celebration of my beautiful daughter Shayla’s wedding this last Sunday, July 15 to Kyle Koerber I am giving my novel e-book away for

FREE

Here is the link https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/54992

and here is the coupon code EC87Q.

Make sure to use the coupon at check out to get the e-book for FREE.

It only lasts until August 21, 2012 so get you FREE copy while you can.

Send your friends by for a FREE copy as well!

Here is the Prologue, an excerpt from the novel:

Prologue

SIBLING RIVALRY

Revenge is sweetest

when it is cold and bitter

like ice-capped mountains.

The tree’s skin ripped downward in reddish-pink strips that he dropped absently to the forest floor. The towering evergreens blocked out much of the night sky above where he systematically stripped the bark from the nearest trunk. Breathing in the scented wood, he felt light-headed–intoxicated with madness.

A chilled breeze rustled his robe as he narrowed his eyes toward the clearing beyond where a bonfire crackled and popped. Nearby, black bears, red foxes, cranes and all manner of forest creatures gathered at the foot of a moss-covered throne. Embossed jade ravens-in-flight seemed to glide across the backrest of the king’s chair.

A twig snapped and he turned to see a raccoon dog, its eyes glittering in the moonlight, watching him. Of course it was. That’s what the insignificant did. They watched their betters. They looked up from their lowly places near the dirt, lower than the dirt, and peered out to see what it was like to matter.

Without a second thought, he raised one hand. He felt the tingle of energy and power as a barb flew from the tips of his index finger toward one shining, black eye. The fluffy canine fell instantly to the ground. Writhing in agony, its bushy tail thrashed against the ground.

Ice cold, his hand fell to his side. He could not tolerate nosey creatures. It did not matter what their reasons were for spying. They should learn to keep their wet noses out of his business. It really was that simple.

When he turned back to the festivities, he saw Sojobo, correction, “King” Sojobo walking toward him–hand held up in greeting, a smile on his face.

A shiver of pure hatred tracked down his spine. He would not stand around waiting for his brother to gloat. That was something he could never abide!

Leaves rustled beneath his feet as he spun away in the opposite direction. He strode toward and through the wall of trees that lead into the deepest part of the forest.

He was never fond of his younger brother. Nor had he ever cared for any of them, but the king’s crown was his right as the eldest brother. The tengu should never have taken it from him.

A moment later, he peeked over his shoulder to see Sojobo standing in the same place he had just moments before. Torchlight glowed from behind the newly crowned monarch, making it look as if the sun had fallen into the forest.

The hatred he felt before now burned through his mind. He spun away and sprinted, his body tense as his newly formed wings picked him up and he flew above the cryptomeria forest.

One day he would return. One day he would have his revenge when Sojobo least suspected it. In fact, they would all pay for what they had done this day. The only thing that made any of it bearable was his knowing that when it happened, it would be a slaughter beyond imagining. He would make sure of it.

Enjoy!

Links:

Image above found at “Japanese Prints” http://www.japancollection.com/japanese-prints-uview/Keibun-Sparrow-on-Persimmon-Branch.php?y=1&subid=16&pid=5673&pg=1&ppp=100

May also be of interest:

“Eurasian Tree Sparrow” http://enterarena.blogspot.com/2010/12/eurasian-tree-sparrow-weaver-bird-males.html

“House Sparrow” http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/house_sparrow/id

Haiku from: Legend of the Tengu Prince

Mountain Goblin

The spring morning calls

into the haunted forest

forgotten secrets.

–Ancient Scroll

Copyright 2001 by Ledia Runnels

Tree Branch image taken from”Common Forest Trees of Hawaii” http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/forestry/trees/little_skolmen.html.

EXTRA!

 

Legend of the Tengu Prince — Finally Available on Amazon.com!

http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Tengu-Prince-Volume-1/dp/1453853308/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1335789431&sr=8-1

Synopsis:

Fantasy Action Adventure set in feudal Japan.

During a time of civil war, Karasu Hinata is born the son of a powerful warlord. When he is still a child, his family castle is taken by a rival clan. His father and mother are murdered right before his eyes.

Barely escaping with his life, he is spirited away by the king of the tengu. The shape-shifting raven leads him to the hidden mountain retreat of a sect of mystic warriors. Mountain priests who practice the magic of Shugendo.

Ten years have passed. The time has come for Karasu to leave the mystic’s protective lair and face his demons in the world beyond. But the fiend that haunts his nightmares is also the one that shattered his life. More than a bad dream, it wants him dead.

In Legend of the Tengu Prince, nothing is as it seems. Shape-shifting creatures, both good and evil, populate the magical world of feudal Japan. And a young man will pay the ultimate price for a deadly rival spawned in the mists time. This riveting first volume of a epic fantasy adventure will leave you stunned and begging for more.

Novel excerpt @ http://creativemusingsoflediar.com/2012/05/09/legend-of-the-tengu-prince-chapter-one-part-one-novel-excerpt/

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USA TODAY Author Credit!

For a while I wrote for an online company called Demand Studios. In that time, I produced several travel related articles for them. I just found out that I have 4 ARTICLES that were published on usatoday.com!  Here are the links:

“Camping Trailers in Salem”

 http://traveltips.usatoday.com/camping-trailers-salem-50487.html

“RV Parks in the Hudson Valley“

 http://traveltips.usatoday.com/rv-parks-hudson-valley-51450.html

“Full-Time RV Parks in Southern California“

http://traveltips.usatoday.com/fulltime-rv-parks-southern-california-50325.html

“RV Parks in Smithville, Oklahoma“

http://traveltips.usatoday.com/rv-parks-smithville-oklahoma-51888.html

Northern Cardinal with Babies

Female Northern Cardinal (Wikipedia)

Least Flycatcher (Wikipedia)

Tufted Titmouse (Wikipedia)

Ah, even though it is still February, in The Woodlands, Texas spring is in the air and trees! Today, I saw what I thought was a Tufted Titmouse clinging to the branch of a small birch tree. But then I spotted a mother Northern Cardinal and four other tiny versions of her and knew that I had instead spotted an adorable family.

What was even more remarkable than the sight of them was that they sat there and let us watch them.  Not one of them flew away out of fear. The Northern Cardinal family even allowed a little Least Flycatcher to sit on a lower branch without trying to chase it away. I had read that Northern Cardinals were territorial, but there was no evidence of this kind of aggressive behavior here.

So glad that I started bird-watching. They are such adorable creatures!

Sad to say that none of these cute photos are mine. Still, they are great, aren’t they? Click on the photo and it will take you to their origin.

Typical Voice of Tufted Titmouse http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/tufted_titmouse/id/ac

Typical Voice of Least Flycatcher http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/least_flycatcher/id/ac

Typical Voice of Northern Cardinal http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Cardinal/id/ac

Enjoy!

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Sweet Warbler

Northern Mockingbird spreads its wings.

Here is yet another delightful experience of mine with a mockingbird as the key player…

The other day, I stood in the neighborhood playground singing the nursery rhyme, “Sing a Song of Six Pence” with the two-year-old boy that I have charge of from 9 to 2, M-F. As we repeated the words and added silly hand gestures to impersonate the black birds in the song, the king, the queen and the maid, I heard the sweet twittering of a mockingbird that perched in a birch tree just beyond the fence that surrounds the play area.

It occurred to me that the little avian was trying its best to sing along with us. So, we started another round of the song and sure enough, the little gray bird with white on its underside and long black tail feathers, tweeted several different bird calls that seemed to indicate that it was doing its best to  mimic into bird song the notes we sang so lustily.

In my mind, this delightful incident went to solidify the amazing character of these little song birds. Their feathers may not possess lush, magnificent colors, but their intelligence and ability to mimic what they hear goes a long way toward their popularity poll.

Also, with the advent of the mockingjays of Hunger Games fame, this little bird should become all that much more popular!

(The photograph at the right, made me think of a beautiful girl, dressed in a kimono, dancing. Or perhaps, the little mockingbird is conducting a symphony.)

Enjoy!

Photo by: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Manjithkaini

References:

Mockingbird:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbird (Includes example of its song.):   http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_mockingbird/sounds/ac

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Bird that “Meows” Like a Cat

Northern Mockingbirds near Austin, Texas

The other day, I was at the playground with my almost three-year-old charge, Adam when we heard a cat “meowing“. Or at least, we thought it was a cat. The only problem was that the sound came from a copse of trees that sits near where Adam and his little friends were playing. When I say it came from the trees, I mean the treetops. It was the distinct “meow” that a cat makes, yet it was a repeated syllable like that of a bird call. After a few moments of listening to this amazing sound, I had to conclude that it was in fact avian and not feline that was making the sound.

When I got home, I booted up my laptop and began searching for who the songster could have been. The first thing I did was to look up what I thought was  the most obvious and logical answer to my query–a catbird. Here is the site where you can hear the Gray Catbird‘s voice: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/gray_catbird/id/ac. Yet this was not the sound I had heard from the copse of trees near the playground.

I live in East Central Texas, just north of Houston. So, mockingbirds are quite plentiful there. In fact, I see them everyday that Adam and I go out for our walks. Because I know how talented and awesome these mimickers are, I started a search entitled,”can mockingbirds meow like a cat”. Here is the result: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yup8slN9FVU. At last, I had found the remarkable songster.

This is the reason I adore these little birds so very much and am incredibly proud to say that they are the Texas State bird. These gray, white and black songbirds may not have the most colorful feathers, but they make up for that with their charming personalities and as multi talented singers.

With the popularity of the Hunger Games and the mockingjay, this little bird should skyrocket even closer to the top of the songbird chart.

As always, I hope you enjoyed this little journey into my world!

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