December 6, 2019. We returned to our haunts near Rio Grande City the week of Thanksgiving. One very good birding location is Salineno World Birding Center located on the Rio Grande River and thus in danger. The current expectation is a wide caliche roadway between river and birding, nothing to spoil the birding center so long as the birds aren’t repulsed by construction. (But there are those insisting we need a continuous WALL …) If anywhere near Salineno in the November-March months, this place is worth the search. (The birds go elsewhere to breed summer/fall.)
I’ve been thinning and tweaking photos since we got back, looking for a green jay image that captures their playful energy. Today, I encountered a poetry form that so fits the experience of watching green jays – birds flapping around noisily, people holding still quietly. I don’t think I’ve seen a puente poem before, and this is certainly the first one I’ve written. Thanks go to Ken Gierke @ https://rivrvlogr.com/2019/12/06/finding-direction-puente/ for stirring my creativity. The puente form puts two perspectives together with a single common thread, and I knew immediately which photos to collage together to show the two “sides” of Salineno: birds on the far side of a large Mesquite growing laterally; birders a few yards away on the entrance side.
stepsandpauses 
Gorgeous birds! I love your poem and the way it weaves the experiences of two groups together.
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Thank you! I had fun with the puente … perhaps I should now create an imagined puente contrasting my bird-watching with my young ginger cat’s bird-watching – two VERY different (my imagination?) attitudes re birds that come to our feeders! (To date, the birds outsmart the cat … I’m on the birds’ side on this one.)
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I think that would make good poetry indeed! My cats stay indoors and watch from windows, and any case I do want the birds to escape!
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Great post!
I don’t think it’s just your imagination that your attitude toward birds is different from Brie’s.
Never heard of puente form before, but now I want to read more. I have heard of green jays but have not ever seen any. Too bad they don’t come to Austin (as far as I know). In California we have seen scrub jays and some other form of western blue jay. And of course we have the local blue jays, often several at once, competing with the squirrels and doves and grackles for leftover catfood. (Inky and Truffles are no threat to birds at this stage of their lives, and they seem to be afraid of the squirrels.)
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in any case!
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Thank you. Green jays come into Texas only down in the valley – never up as far as Austin. They were one reason we went down to Rio Grande City the first time … and we keep going back for more of their antics. There is no competition for food at the birding places – enough for everyone – a big outdoor picnic.
We once had more blue jays in our yard but the numbers have dropped in the past couple of years – perhaps someone else offers tastier invitations. We once fed a “tame” squirrel peanuts and put out plenty for the blue jays to have a few as well. I did see a blue jay yesterday sitting on the back fence, unaware he was being compared to a green cousin. The green jays are a bit larger.
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You really capture the essence of the active jays and the actively observing photographers. And I like your idea to write one from your bird watching point of view vs. your cat’s view.
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Betty, thank you … perhaps Brie will help me compose a feline vs human birdwatching puente?
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Gorgeous! I’ve never seen a Green Jay before, and the Steller’s and Scrub Jays I’ve seen have always been solo, if not downright elusive. This is quite something! I’m so enamored!
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Enamored – that’s the word – we can’t just “check ’em off the list” and move on – we keep going back to stare and giggle some more.
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Reblogged this on rivrvlogr and commented:
I’m pleased that my first attempt at a puente acted as an introduction to the form for one of my favorite poets. Stop by to see how effectively Jazz uses the form to offer two perspectives of the same scene.
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I’m fond of the puente form, as well, and you did it very well.
I didn’t even know there were green jays! All we have are blue jays around here. 🙂
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Puente is new to me … where’ve I been?! … Puente has a freedom within the 2 stanzas that fits my muse’s preferences, but that “bridge” is quite the catalyst to shape (separate) thoughts. I smiled seeing the Puente form recently on your page – here’s to a flood of Puentes!
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🙂 Jane Dougherty introduced me to the form.
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How wonderful! Loved Salineo! It took me so long to get a pic of the green jay, they are such tricksters. You describe the scene so well – transported me right back there. That place, and many along the Valley are so precious. The wall dilemma leaves me heart broken. Feeling very blessed that I had the opportunity to visit, and now revisit thanks to you.
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VJ, thanks – thought about you while we were birding. We went 2 days in a row to Salineno … LOTS of birds! If I could learn patience, not snap every possible photo, the process once home would be way speedier. But those jays! Pause to consider “is this the right shot?” and you miss any shot! They’re dancers, all over the place, constant motion.
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It’s such a magical spot – well worth the effort to find it.
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