I and the Bird #31: A Challenge

OK. Since we're just past the anniversary of this I and the Bird Blog Carnival, which is, after all, a collaborative effort spearheaded by the spectacularly tireless Mike, I thought I ought to do something a little special with it. Thing is, all your contributions were so different! So I'm now, at 11pm on a Tuesday night, setting myself a challenge: I will write a haiku for each post in this week's edition. You guys know what haiku is, right? Three lines: five syllables, seven syllables, five syllables. I promise neither quality nor consistency but maybe a little entertainment for you all as you take the pleasurable journey through all the entries. They're so worth reading that I think they merit my finest poetic effort! Let the games begin! (P.S. I am allowed to break the rules any time I feel so inclined.)

From West Virginia
Elvis-or is it LVIS?
Has flown the building

Feeder or birdbath?
Steve Bailey has the answers
If you want more birds

Thought I knew cardinals
KTCat has proved me wrong!
Oahu dreaming...

Peregrine's breathless
Over his first sightings of--
Well, read it and see!

UK daylight fades--
Not Marc's usual birding time
Look what we have here!

In birding Eden
David's quest, once thwarted, now:
New Guinea, Part Deux.

Minnesota Deb:
A sad discovery, but hey--
Positive ID!

It's a what? A what?
Too noisy, I can't hear you.
Plus: Australia pics

Down Under, a trip
Rewards Duncan and his wife--
A clue: it's Powerful

Wayne, birding by train
Spies and photographs--a what?
You'll just have to read

Pull back the covers
Get up! Go see some plovers
Then read Mike's latest.

Here's an elegy
Via ornithology
Laura,nightjars,loss

Rob's raptor photos
A captivating trio
Soars over Boise

Let's envy Charlie
Whilst birding Nigeria
What's this species called?

More New Guinea thoughts
From artist Carel this time
What colors! Such skill!

Bzzzz! goes the hummer
A jewel of a pic from Jayne
Georgia's ruby throat

Thomasburg babies
Grown in a watering can
Time for flight at last!

Rocky mountain highs
For Patrick and Beth's trip out west
Crossbills! Siskins! Yay!

Don't miss Dave's sunset
An unexpected guest came
You won't believe it

Bird book buffs take note:
Amy's got the scoop for you
Awesome interview

Juvenile birds?
How can you tell? A lesson
From John of DC

How to find shorebirds
In Arizona, you ask?
Ask Rick. He knows now.

If you've got a yard
And think you've seen it all there
Keep watching! says Nuthatch

Breaking news--RARE BIRD
If you can, drive to NH
Lillian's pics beckon!

And that's a wrap for this edition. In order, the blogs are: Bird Stuff,Fabienne.net,The Scratching Post,Peregrine's Birdblog,The Hornet's Nest,The Wanderling, Sand Creek Almanac,Trevor's Birding,Ben Cruachan Blog,Tai Haku, 10,000 Birds, BirderBlog,Rob's Idaho Perspective, Charlie's Birding Blog, Rigor Vitae, Journey Through Grace, Thomasburg Walks, The Hawk Owl's Nest, Via Negativa, Wild Bird on the Fly, A DC Birding Blog, Aimophila Adventures,Bootstrap Analysis, The Stokes' Birding Blog.

Thanks so much to all who contributed--first timers, welcome aboard! And returning posters, welcome back. Hope you've enjoyed this little exercise--and seriously, don't forget to read all the posts--especially timely and exciting is Lillian Stokes' photo essay on the now-present possible Western Reef Heron in Maine and New Hampshire. It's an end-of-summer treat for birders everywhere!

Good Birding,
Mariya