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Daily short takes from an Appalachian hollow

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accipiter

December 11, 2010 by Dave Bonta

The boom of a rifle. A small hawk glides through the trees, lands between me and the faint yellow blotch of sun and waggles its tail.

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Categories Plummer's Hollow Tags accipiter, hawks, hunters 1 Comment
April 15, 2013December 4, 2009 by Dave Bonta

A squirrel foraging in the leaves suddenly streaks for the nearest tree, barely escaping the sharp-shinned hawk hurtling through the forest.

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Categories Plummer's Hollow Tags accipiter, gray squirrel, hawks, sharp-shinned hawk
September 17, 2009 by Dave Bonta

Some small hawk has been calling since first light, hidden in the treetops: soft brief cries, soon joined by a chorus of its enemies.

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Categories Plummer's Hollow Tags accipiter, hawks
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On This Day

  • June 17, 2025
    The white noise of cicadas gives voice to the fog. I spot a second-year common mullein just beginning to raise her flagpole, velvety leaves wearing coats of cloud.
  • June 17, 2024
    Clear and still. A flicker’s eponymous chant from the sunlit crown of a black locust. The black raspberries in my yard are already blood-red.
  • June 17, 2023
    Sun through thin clouds. A silent crow skims the treetops where a cuckoo coos. Someone’s offsprings beg for more breakfast.
  • June 17, 2022
    Wind has blown all the humidity out to sea. The forest is astir with its comings and goings, until I can barely remain seated.
  • June 17, 2021
    The third gorgeous morning in a row. I could sit here forever, gaping at the light through the trees, if only it would last.

See all...

Related book

Cover of Ice Mountain with a linocut of a big ridgetop tree.

What I do after I sit on the porch. One winter and spring's daily walks distilled into short poems with linocut illustrations by Beth Adams.

Header image: detail from Paper Garden by Clive Hicks-Jenkins (used by permission)

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