The Whimbrel
The Whimbrel
Until its first flock
Tends to be a sad and generally retiring
Sub-species
Of the more gregarious Sand Piper
Frequently mistaken from a distance
Or a painting
Or a distant painting for the latter
In general terms
Its longer legs and distinctively curved bill
Have specifically evolved to help
While standing in the watter
Sand Pipers
With shorter legs and distinctly
Straight bills though similar in plumage
Find by their sheer numbers
Insufficient roomage to stand and be compared
To their most distant cousin
The Whimbrel
Cannot be mistaken for the Knott
A buff coloured shoreline bird
Nor a shag
A tiny black relation of the Cormorant
With the propensity to try and mate with
Anything that dares to move
Hence it's name
From behind though and with knees bent
The Whimbrel is quite indistinguishable
From the Sand Piper
Any self respecting Shag
Will testify to that
But not the Knott
Which tends to lead
A far more solitary existence
The Knott’s
Plaintive and unmistakable call
Wish I wasa, wish I wasa, wish I wasa Shag
Can of course be offensive to
Shoreline artists and young virgins
The Whimbrel
Being largely mute
Is oft considered far more appealing
From both a photogenic and acoustic point of view
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Author:
Neville (
Offline) - Published: July 15th, 2019 03:23
- Comment from author about the poem: this is for all you hornyologists out there who enjoy a good giggle..... & I still resent that check box.... a little bird told me to add that.. oh' and there are no spelling errors.... N
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 30
- User favorite of this poem: Poetic Dan.
Offline)
Comments7
A fine write Neville.
well that's just fine then, thanks my friend...
Neville
This treatise on waders runs to its end by producing the giggles in my hitherto serious take on sorting out bird-names - -ha - - you did it again in describing the Shag !! - -- oh by the way the pretty Whimbrel has a continuous call at times of mating - not a lot of people though know about that.................. x Fay
I didn't know that... maybe I need to add another verse.... thank for taking a good hard look Fay... the cheque is in the post............ 🙂
Ha ha -- - hard indeed !! -- I don't take cheques through the post - like to be handed them personally !
3 more comments
A birdwatchers delight. All males, and I mean us, like Knotts would like to be Shags
you bet.... cheers
I'm a mixed-heritage Shag-Knott - it's these darn knees. Enjoyed this Neville.
a dead give away when standing in the margins......... cheers Michael
I shall read again tomorrow as I kept losing my place, the comments helped alot 😉 and was fun to read.
Thank you
No problem..... 🙂
A funny and brilliant write Neville! ---Christina
Thank you muchly Christina
Brilliant write Neville, I have been bird watching all my life and have Knott yet seen a Whimbrel but have seen the others that you mentioned.
Thank you kindly my friend, much appreciated.... gotta keep watching aint'cha...
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