AN ACROSTIC BIRD

Gaily zipping through the trees

A flock shows grey, then,

Lifting their wings, shows pink

And in the sunset

Heads for home.

One of our pleasures each evening is to watch these birds flying home. Unfortunately, I discovered they had decided to roost in my pear tree and, as evening entertainment, would strip the bark, causing those branches to die. I plotted revenge, wondering if I needed gas guns (to startle them) and if I could borrow some from our neighbours at Gallagher’s Winery, who had harvested their grapes already. In the meantime, I threw sticks at them to make them fly off, and then another to encourage the last lookouts to leave. It turned out I only needed to do it twice and they found themselves a new roost. One of my theories is that they were ashamed and knew they’d done wrong. Maybe.