Coots and grackles replace the white pelicans
who have circled over in their last goodbye
like other snowbirds heading north.
Sandpipers whistle their reedy pipes,
as if to rein in the small boy
who runs with a rag of kite
streaming out behind him,
creating his own wind.

This is just one stanza of a longer poem. just publishing it here again along with this photo I wanted to show  Annie H. in response to her photos and narration  about choughs sent in reply to a question I had about them. A chough is  a type of crow we don’t have here in Mexico. I, however, love watching their cousin  the Grackle. pictured here strutting along the beach in La Manzanilla.! We have lots of them around Lake Chapala as well.