"THEY FELL FROM THE SKY" ...

  Birds have played an important role in many of my short ghost stories and other writings.  Birds are also a very vital aural and visual part of our lives, even in the depths of urban cities.  They bring music, color, motion and passion to us.  These are those avian souls that came and went, just as important as any other being on this planet.  These are those spirits that fell from the sky and left their shadow behind.

I was saddened to find this beautiful Mourning Dove on the sidewalk of West Street by the Hudson river on a gorgeous Autumn day in October of 2011.  She had obviously lost her life the night before.  Her soft feathers were of lovely fawn colors with shades of grey-blue and pink iridescence.

This Starling died amongst the rebirth of Spring, surrounded by Daffodils just starting to bloom on a cold day in March.  Very common in cities, I had never noticed the dozens of star-like spots on their black feathers or the blue and green sheen of them that is captured in the suns light.

Bizarre occurances with  Birds...

Dismal Swamp, Virginia...

 A bizarre memory...
  A Black Vulture was sunning on a fallen tree, a bald cypress. We were in a small row boat looking at the spanish moss hanging from the tree branches over the green murky water. Staring at me, it suddenly falls belly flop flat into the water, head underneath. Wings flapping, struggling...  It was seemingly unable to raise its head above the green water it stops struggling and then it just dies right there...

Lower Manhattan... baby House Sparrow...

  The day after my Mother died I was wandering around the east side in a mindless daze.  I stood for a moment at a red light on Bowery to collect my thoughts , it was burning hot and I felt the harsh sun on me.  All of a sudden a baby sparrow fell onto my feet, twisted and writhed and died on my shoe.  I was in shock.  The cruel irony.

Junco at Greenwood...

 It was a frigid winter day with a cloudless sky when we went on an outdoor photo shoot.  We walked through a Zen garden when suddenly a Junco flew right in front of us landing on the cement walk around the water. Then it suddenly just fell over dead.  I picked it up it was still warm and fluffy.  We were flabberghasted.

Mourning Dove on fire escape
 I was watching a mourning dove roosting on my firescape on a cold december morning while decorating my Christmas tree and drinking coffee.  He was all fluffed out and half asleep.  I turned my attention to my tree then looked out my window after hearing a scuffle... I saw nothing.  I finished my tree and lit the lights.  When I went to close the curtains there were a pair of wings on the fire escape with blood on the sockets.  How and why did this happen so quickly?  Nothing but his wings were left behind.

Green Heron on lily pad
  I was fishing on a lazy day in small bay of the lake filled with fragrant water lilys.  I saw a small green heron land on a large pad close to me.  He went into a freezing position, when suddenly something below grabbed him with lightning speed pulling him under never to be seen again.  It happened so quickly that Im still not sure that it did.

Hummer in a spider web
 I was standing on my Aunts old porch on the farm when I could see something moving mid air on the other side of the open deck.  I went across to find a large bundle of something stuck in a giant spider web.  I took it out gently but it was too late, it was still dead  It was a ruby throated hummingbird.

This poor soul must have been struck by a vehicle late at night. Pigeons or Rock Doves are so maligned, but I love them because they bring nature and life to the inner cities where most birds won't venture.