My friend, Gill Henwood, has sent me a poem she has written about House Martin’s. I want to share it with you.

The house martin is a small bird with glossy blue-black upper parts and pure white under parts. It has a distinctive white rump with a forked tail and, on close inspection, white feathers covering its legs and toes. It spends much of its time on the wing collecting insect prey. The bird’s mud nest is usually sited below the eaves of buildings. They are summer migrants and spend their winters in Africa. Although still numerous and widespread, recent moderate declines earn them a place on the Red List.

To find out more go to the website of the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) and the website of : House Martin Conservation UK & Ireland.

House Martin

Martins, skimming

village churchyard

slicing greensward,

ancient slate stones.

Low under mist

clouds cloaking fell tops

air heavy, moist slate.

Martins twittering,

high above, weaving

open patterns

crossing, three-D.

Warm currents

explosive turning

free to rise

timeless,

mystical magical

summer soaring

ecstasy, flight.

Gill Henwood
Hawkshead
9th August 2023

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