“In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence.”
~Robert Lynd~
I’m as silent as I can be
watching birds in a nearby tree
So close and so near
I can’t reach, though, I fear
They delight in loudly mocking me
I’m as still as I can be
watching those damn birds flee
I haven’t moved an inch
At the window’s fringe
I shall have one soon, I decree
I’m no longer patient, you see
Quiet is not in me
So I gurgle and chatter
Because birds really matter
Their presence exudes joy and glee
I’m once again quiet as can be
The birds have left the nearby tree
They didn’t like the bang
against the window pane
But they’ll be back again to mock thee.
Mary J Melange 
Our little Russian Blue has a low volume, chit-chit-chit, that she uses when the birds are hopping around in her yard.
Ω
I love the sounds a cat makes when they’re stalking something through the window. Yesterday morning, Ziva stared down two morning doves that were perched on the patio railing. Never made a sound, perhaps too mesmerized by how close they were!
I love this! It is one of my cats, Mysty. She gurgles when she sees birds in the birdfeeder. You make me smile!
Glad you found a smile in this, Claudia. Kitties are so cute when they make those noises. As if the birds would be cured by it. 😏
This is wonderful Mary. Our girls are inside cats but they study the birds from various window shelves. I think you captured their thoughts. well.
Thanks Dan. I often wonder what Gibbs and Ziva are thinking when they cackle at the birds. Is it, “Kill! Kill!” or something like, “If only we had opposable thumbs and could open this window…”
We’re pretty sure MiMi wants to play with them. She also likes to steal tools, so she might be working on that window idea.
LOL! Go MiMi!
Great post and a beautiful photograph of a beautiful cat!
Thanks Herman and Gibbs says “I know, meow.” 😉
Love this post! Gibbs looks so content in that hunting position! 😉
I’m happy that the birds are returning so that Gibbs has something to look at and “hunt” besides snowflakes.
Gibbs is gorgeous. I like the lil clicking sound some of them make when they watch birds. I wonder why they don’t all do it… I love to listen to them. Are they trying to charm the birds? It’s adorable.
Some say the chirping or clicking sound is the cat trying to mimic the bird, to draw it closer. Some say it’s excitement because…BIRD! Some say its out of frustration because of that stupid window that keeps them from their prey. Whatever it is, it’s just cute to watch.
So cute! 🙂
Theo makes that noise too, but I think of it as a kind of barking because that’s what it reminds me of. It makes me laugh every time he does it – and even when he’s outside, he’ll bark at the birds. I think it is an involuntary reflex that comes from their frustration that they know they can’t get to them.
Barking, huh? Theo must be part dog. A bird dog. 😉😆
😆 yes, that fits him well!
You could have been talking about my Miss Maisie who deigns to allow me (her humble servant) to live in the same house as her. She’s right now, as I type, sat gazing out of the conservatory windows, as she lays in the sun in her sheepskin lined, plumptious bed, watching, watching, watching all those birds which land on the feeders in the garden. And she chatters too, but she knows that she’ll never be able to catch those flyers because they always spot her creeping closer and closer to them.
But … she continues to dream of the day when luck just might be on her side and she gets her trophy. (ick!)
GREAT post and wonderful poem Mary. Loved it from start to end.
Well done you clever wordsmith!
love ~ Cobs. xxx
Cobs, thank you so much! It’s funny and interesting to hear similar reports from other feline servants. In my last move, I went from an apartment that didn’t see much bird activity to one that had overwhelming bird stimulation. I thought for a while that Gibbs and Ziva were both going to have a heart attack over the plethora of winged creatures. They have since settled down, to some degree, although Gibbs still likes to scare the crap out of me when he pounces at the window. I hope some day Maisie’s dreams come true…sort of…maybe just in her head, okay?
In her sweet looking little head would be brilliant. For her brother – Alf Capone – has scared us in ways that has removed years off our lives. He’s a proper bringer home of gifts. EWWWWWWwwwww.
Got a laugh out of the mental picture of Gibbs pouncing at the window. LOLOL.
Love it! … and love these four legged kids of ours. ~ C. xxx
I used to live near a small water flowage and would let my then cat outside to hunt. One day, I didn’t check his mouth and he brought a NOT DEAD shrew into the apartment. I was married then and the husband had to do the dirty of work of exterminating said shrew while I screamed and yelled at the cat for the unwanted gift. It was a bit of a circus.
Ugh… I’ve told Alf Capone that half a pound of best bacon, failing that a bunch of flowers picked from someones garden would be a better gift. And do you know what Mary …. since I told him that, hand on heart, he’s not bought me any other live/dead gifts at all.
I have no explanation – other than the cat is bl**dy ahhmazing!
~ C. xxx