A symbol & suggestion to the poet.

I'm now going into the second year of my Minnesota birding novitiate. In the past two weeks as the melting ice has receded from the shores of the many lakes here and the snow has melted, the bird activity has delightfully escalated. A welcome sight and sound to all the winter weary!

On three separate walks I've taken around Como Lake and Island Lake near our apartment, I've sited the Common Loon. Nothing common about this diving bird, especially its mournful call. The state bird of Minnesota, it's unmistakable call can be heard for only a short time until it moves north toward Canada via Lake Superior. They carry their babies on their backs as they swim the lakes to keep them safe from Largemouth Bass. This is about as close as my bottom-of-the-line camera would get me plus this cunning diver would come up for air even farther from shore each time. But I got close enough to see his beautiful black and white feathers and the sun glinting off his red eye!

Presently we appear to be on the northern migration route of several kinds of water birds. Yesterday I was able to capture a few shots and after a little research hopefully I should be able to identify who they are.

Wood Duck male and female.

Someone along the trail said these small red and white birds with upturned tail above are on their way back to Alaska.

The woodpeckers have been on the drum line for weeks.

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The very idea of a bird is a symbol and a suggestion to the poet. A bird seems to be at the top of the scale, so vehement and intense his life. . . . The beautiful vagabonds, endowed with every grace, masters of all climes, and knowing no bounds -- how many human aspirations are realised in their free, holiday-lives -- and how many suggestions to the poet in their flight and song! ~~John Burroughs