Some days when I am out about on the slopes covered with coyote bush
a lil fella pops to the top of the shrubs and starts singing its heart out
a cute little sparrow with black and white streaks on its head
yellow bill
whistling sweet tunes with a happy trill near the end

Well a gentleman from the Cal Academy
Dr Luis Batista
used to sing them songs of birds
and not just the white crown’s tunes either
heck, he seemed to me
able to speak
the language of all the winged creatures
as if he belonged to the tribe of birds and angels
more so than to the tribe of earth bound people
really cool guy

I got images of him driving along sonoma roads
head out the window
pointing, looking up at the skies
greeting his colleagues
another one is him walking in his garden in the moonlight
unadorned with clothing
talking to his collection of cactus and plants

(did not actually see this; his pardner told me about this as we were moving plants)

At one point he told me of his adventures
going south of the border
and the Mexican navy taking him out to this island
where a rare dove lived
specifically, the Socorro Dove
Zenaida graysoni
and his efforts to conserve and protect
birds

Got asked to do some art for his institute
this one he worked on with Helen Horblit
his chum in these nature and life endeavors
not sure we ever made any shirts or nothing like that
pictures just sat in a folder
until this spring broke and I heard that familiar voice of the white crowned sparrow
which in my totally uneducated ornithological ear sounds like
ooooou wee wa she wee wa she wa swee swee swee

Anyhow, the art is presented here for your enjoyment
if you’d like to read more about Luis’ life
found this right nice memoriam
https://bioone.org/journals/the-auk/volume-118/issue-2/0004-8038_2001_118_0496_IMLFB_2.0.CO_2/IN-MEMORIAM-LUIS-FELIPE-BAPTISTA-19412000/10.1642/0004-8038(2001)118%5B0496:IMLFB%5D2.0.CO;2.full
kinda neat how even with death and the passage of time
it does not seem to diminish ones presence

And, later, with ears and eyes wide open
go take a walkabout on San Bruno Mountain
along the ridges in Pacifica
or up and down the trails of Marin Headlands
its for sure you will hear the
birds in abundant activity
saying things like
ouro hee hoo ouro hee hoo
kee keee keeee errr
coooo coooooooo
queeee ah queeee ah
and so on

and overhead
spot them ravens swirling and falling
croaking and laughing
riding them thermals