In Touch With Nature – The African Spoonbill #Africanbirds #InTouchWithNature #poetry
Posted: November 27, 2024 Filed under: Uncategorized 46 Comments
Today, I am sharing about the African Spoonbill bird, which is found across Africa and Madagascar, including Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe using the format of a rensaku tanka poem. A rensaku is a series of tanka poems (syllabic poems using the form of 5/7/5/7/7) to tell a story.
I have included some of my photographs and videos to embellish the story.
African Spoonbill
Long tapering legs
Atop a pure white body
African Spoonbill
Red legs match its red eye mask
No crest adorns its sleek head
***
African Spoonbill
Named for its spatulate bill
Long and coloured grey
From side-to-side its bill swings
Open to catch tasty food
***
Living in marshes
With open shallow waters
African Spoonbill
Hunts water loving creatures
Including fish and molluscs
***
African Spoonbill
Builds its nest in colonies
In trees or reedbeds
From sticks and reeds lined with leaves
And breeds during winter months
***
To woo a female
Males develop bright plumage
She then lays five eggs
African Spoonbill males help
With incubation and care
***
Unable to fly
African Spoonbill youngsters
Are dependent for
A twenty-day period
Before leaving their parents
My YouTube video of an African Spoonbill hunting for food with the typical swaying motion:
About Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Roberta Eaton Cheadle, is a South African writer and poet specialising in historical, paranormal, and horror novels and short stories. She is an avid reader in these genres and her writing has been influenced by famous authors including Bram Stoker, Edgar Allan Poe, Amor Towles, Stephen Crane, Enrich Maria Remarque, George Orwell, Stephen King, and Colleen McCullough.
Roberta has two published novels and a collection of short stories and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories included in several anthologies. She is also a contributor to the Ask the Authors 2022 (WordCrafter Writing Reference series).
Roberta is also the author and illustrator of sixteen children’s books, illustrator to a further three children’s books, and the author and illustrator of three poetry books published under the name of Robbie Cheadle, and has poems and short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.
Roberta’s blog features discussions about classic books, book reviews, poetry, and photography. https://roberta-writes.com/.
Find Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Blog: https://wordpress.com/view/robertawrites235681907.wordpress.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobertaEaton17
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robertawrites
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Roberta-Eaton-Cheadle/e/B08RSNJQZ5
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This segment of “In Touch with Nature” is sponsored by the Midnight Anthology Series and WordCrafter Press.
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What an interestingly-constructed bird.
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HI Chel, this wader is very interesting. Watching it in action is fascinating. It’s nice to see you.
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Amazing creatures. Thanks for the info.
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Hi Darlene, I thought it would be a bit of fun to present this information in a poem format. They are really very interesting birds.
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Great poetry about, and images of, the African Spoonbill, Robbie! That creature is a star!
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HI DAve, I am so pleased you enjoyed reading about this fascinating bird.
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Thanks for this wonderful presentation on this a bit funny looking bird. You also created a wonderful poem. Thanks for also sharing this, and have a nice day! xx Michael
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HI Michael, thank you for your wonderful comments. I am delighted you enjoyed this poem and the pictures.
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A very interesting bird indeed Robbie.
Its beak is amazing.
Wonderful share.
Thank you 🤗
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HI Maggie, this bird is perfectly adapted to its environment. It is so interesting to watch it hunting.
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Hi Robbie
I love all your animal posts and your wealth of information too.
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Thank you, Maggie
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Hurray for your searching mind, Robbie. . . How much sleeping time do you allow yourself?! Well done!
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Hi Joy, I am delighted you enjoyed this poem. Spoonbills are such wonderful birds. I do get up early in the mornings. It’s a good time for me to write and blog.
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Evolution is amazing!………..and so is your poem Robbie!
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HI Wayne, I am very pleased you like this poem. I thought it would be fun to share this information in a poem format and I am enjoying these rensakus. They can be as long as you want them to be. Spoonbills are lovely to look at and watch.
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We don’t have anything that exotic up here!
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You have bears. No bears in Africa 😉
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next time I see one of my furry friends I’ll tell them are exotic!
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They are exotic to a South AFrican.
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An amazing bird …your poem showcases the Spoonbill perfectly 🙂 xx
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Not many birds share that beak shape I imagine, gracefully wading the shallows while other birds are diving and splashing around!
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HI Janet, I’ve not seen another bird with such an interesting beak. Spoonbills are delightful.
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What a wonderful way to teach about the animals of Africa!
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HI Dale, I am delighted you enjoyed this poem.
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🙂
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Such a neat-shaped beak 🙂 Your poetry and photos are great to celebrate this fantastic bird.
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HI Dave, I loved watching this bird. So graceful and interesting. Thanks for visiting.
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This is one that I have seen in person. They had them at Sea World in Florida with many other birds. Great descriptive poetry, Robbie.
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Thank you for the wildlife lesson! I didn’t know anything about the African spoonbill. The video is fascinating!
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Hi Liz, I spent a lot of time watching the birds during our most recent trip to Madikwe. We also saw herons and yellow beaked storks.
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I find watching birds fascinating!
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Beautiful images of the spoonbill bird, Robbie! I love that the male bird helps to incubate the eggs.
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Hi Miriam, I’m glad you enjoyed this post. These are delightful birds.
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The spoonbill serves the purpose for the birds. It reminds me of the bills of the flamingos. They turn the opposite way though.
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That bill is a masterpiece of nature. (K)
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Hi Kerfe, it is. I am going to paint a spoonbill 😁
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I look forward to it.
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Hugs
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I love learning about nature, what I don’t know. I would imagine that it would be handy to have a spoonbill if you don’t have hands with which to use a spoon!
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HI Annette, I am sure you are right. I’m not sure if the spoonbill would be keen on sharing though – smile!
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Wow, what a great way to learn about this stunningly unique and beautiful bird.
Love this lesson about the Spoonbill. It was fun to read, great pics and vid.
Thank you Robbie!
Thank you Kaye Lynne!
🕊🤍
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This was wonderful, Robbie!
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Thank you, Jennie. Spoonbills are incredible birds.
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You are welcome, Robbie. You captured them beautifully.
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