CONTEST….CONTEST….PRIZE….PRIZE….CONTEST….CONTEST….PRIZE…PRIZE…

We have fallen in love with an artist on Etsy, Rosybird. She makes the most adorable birdy items ever! We want to spread the good cheer onto you, the readers. We would love to give everyone a new wallet from Rosybird but since we haven’t yet discovered the money tree seed, we decided to share in another very creative manner.

We want to inspire you and give away this most wonderful wallet to one lucky person. And all you have to do is send us an original bird art piece: painting, drawing, original graphic, paper mache’ (decoupage for you fancier folks), sketch, Lego model, glass, cardboard cutout of a bird…the sky is the limit… but no real birds please, we like them to stay alive, healthy an in their habitat…and for doing so you will be:

A) Inspired to create something fun that will be displayed on our site whether you win or not.

B) Entered to win the above-mentioned, uber cute wallet. (See pictures below).

C) Will earn a little good Karma whilst participating in our very first soft-capitalism contest (and not-so-subtle plea for birdy art).

Instructions:

Make/draw/create a piece of bird art and take a picture, scan it in and e-mail it to us at birdyonmywindow@gmail.com or if your piece is one you’d like to mail through the postal service, e-mail us for the mailing address.

The contest will end when we have received our first 100 entries or April 15th, whichever is soonest.

The front with the little black bird!

And if you really just love Rosybird’s wallet sooooo much and want your very own unique piece of work from her, you can visit her shop here.

ENTRIES CAN BE SEEN HERE:

by the MadHattress

A 2nd entry from Maddhatress

Common Raven

Originally uploaded by quasimodo4502

What a beautiful bird this is, isn’t it? He looks like he has a helmet, almost, doesn’t he? This was taken by Quasimodo4502 at Golden Gate Park. You can see the original photograph on Flickr. =)

I decided since it is Halloween, I would tell you a bit about the raven. =)

Did you know the “common raven” is the most widely distributed corvid of all? It is all over the Northern hemisphere. Like me, they prefer to stay away from places too hot. =)

They are omnivorous…meaning they will eat just about anything. This helps them survive and thrive. They are intelligent birds and beautiful. This is why they are so popular. There are poems about them, songs, stories, folklore, and obviously a lot of art.

If you’d like to draw one, paint one or photograph one and share it… we will post it. =)

Let us know (e-mail us).

Let me end this with the very famous, very loved “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe.

The raven

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore -

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

«Tis some visitor», I muttered, «tapping at my chamber door:

Only this and nothing more».

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor,

Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow – sorrow for the lost Lenore -

Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

Thrilled me – filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating

«Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -

Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -

This it is and nothing more».

Presently my soul grew stronger: hesitating then no longer,

«Sir», said I, «or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

But the fact is, I was napping, and so gently you came rapping.

And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you». – Here I opened wide the door -

Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;

Put the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,

And the only world there spoken was the whispered word, «Lenore!»

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, «Lenore!»

This, and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon again I heard a tapping, somewhat louder than before.

«Surely», said I, «surely that is something at my window lattice;

Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore, -

Let my heart be still a moment, and this mystery explore,

«Tis the wind, and nothing more».

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,

In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore.

Not the least obeisance made he, not a minute stopped or stayed he,

But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -

Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then, this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling

By the grave and stem decorum of the countenance it wore,

«Though the crest be shorn and shaven, thou», I said, «art sure no craven,

Ghastly, grim, and ancient Raven, wandering from the nightly shore.

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the night’s Plutonian shore!»

Quoth the Raven, «Nevermore».

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,

Though its answer little meaning, little relevancy bore;

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door -

With such name as «Nevermore».

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

Nothing farther then he uttered, not a feather then he fluttered;

Till I scarcely more than muttered, «Other friends have flown before!

On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before!»

Then the bird said, «Nevermore.»

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,

«Doubtless» said I, «what it utters is its only stock and store;

Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster

Following fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -

Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore

Of «Never – nevermore !»

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door}

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird oi yore

Meant in croaking «Nevermore».

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

To the fowl, whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core;

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining

On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o’cr -

But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o’er,

She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer

Swung by seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.

«Wretch,» I cried, «thy God hath lent thee – by these angels he hath sent thee

Respite – respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!

Quaff, O quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!»

Quoth the Raven, «Nevermore».

«Prophet!» said I, «thing of evil! – prophet still, if bird or devil! -

Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -

On this home by horror haunted – tell me truly, I implore?

Is there – is there balm in Gilead ? – tell me – tell me, I implore I»

Qucth the Raven, «Nevermore».

«Prophet!» said I, «thing of evil – prophet still, if bird or devil! -

By that heaven that bends above us, by that God we both adore,

Tell this soul with sorrow laden, if, within the distant Aidenn,

It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore -

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore!»

Quoth the Raven, «Nevermore».

«Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!» I shrieked upstarting.

«Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

Leave my loneliness unbroken! – quit the bust above my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!»

Quoth the Raven, «Nevermore».

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,

And the lamplight o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted – nevermore!

The picture quality is poor because it is a cell phone and so… here is a photograph I found on the internet:

As with most birds the female is less colorful than the male. The female is dull brown and the male is iridescent black (black with a purplish/bluish tint). The female is smaller than the male. We see them in parking lots frequently, so they must have adapted well to suburban life. They are considered in the least conservationist concern category which is good, right?

I found a poem written by someone about the Brewer’s Blackbird (Source: click here).