dragon@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Sam Conway) (01/20/90)
The Mountaintop Birder
(the following may be sung to the tune of "City of New Orleans")
Sitting in the cold up on the mountain
Waiting for the birds to pass by overhead.
There's icicles upon my nose and fingers.
I'm so cold and tired I'm starting to wish I were dead.
Then a movement off to my left side -- binoculars spring to my eyes.
Look there! There's a ruby-footed killdeer!
I grab my list with feverish glee, hoping for a new entry.
Turns out I saw twelve of them last year.
Hello, you rough-legged hawks, where you are????
Say, don't you know me? I'm a birding man!
I've been sitting on this damn hillside for hours
Hoping to catch a glimpse of you if I can.
The valley down below's so warm and cozy.
It's early fall, with summer still in the air.
But here I am on this cold and frosty mountain.
To hell with the valley, I've seen all the birds that are there!
So up onto the mountainside. "The birding is just great!" they cried,
"It's a little cold there, though," they said. And how!
I've seen ovenbirds and finches fair,
And penguins, seals, and polar bears
But my list has grown by two whole entries now!
Hey there, you peregrines, where are you????
Say, don't you know me? I'm a birding man!
I've been sitting on this damn hillside for hours
Hoping to catch a glimpse of you if I can!
--
Sam Conway *
dragon@eleazar.dartmouth.edu * Don't mention the war!
Chemistry Dept., Dartmouth College, NH * I mentioned it once, but I
Vermont Raptor Center (VINS) * think I got away with it...