The ship dropped anchor some 500 metres from the shore. Since it was evening Athena flew off. Penelope and Philip also flew off looking for evening snacks. Petra swam about in a weird costume that allowed her to go underwater. She dragged behind her a small boat filled with tubes and bottles and other small stuff on which Codrin was now perching. Narcisa and I joined Petra in studying the underwater fauna. While she looked at the quality of the water and studied the algae and microplastics, our studies focused on fish. Before the fifth or sixth fish enetered my beak Athena came back and asked me to fly off with her to meet Sirius, a bird, who had information about Icarus. Narcisa stayed behind with Petra. Cawlin joined us in our journey inland.
We soon reached a large tree. On its branches stood a stately bird of prey with an orange head. When Cawlin saw him, he turned around and flew off. I landed under the tree and remained rooted to the spot, frozen in fear.
Sirius: Hello, Narcissus!
me trying to hide my fear: Hello... tell me about your kind and about your journey here.
Sirius:
I’m Sirius a male Egyptian Vulture
Once revered in many a culture
Often Associated with a Sepulcher.
We are the Royal Pharoah’s chicken
But poisons are causing us to sicken
After all being a scavenger
Toxins are a constant danger
We keep the messy cities clean and neat
Carcasses on the street we strip and eat
Carcasses on the street we strip and eat
But lying in the open are poisoned strays
And sad to say numbered are our days.
toxic dumpsters and illegal hunting
what exactly are people thinking?
A vulture outside soaring is an awesome sight
A stuffed indoor vulture- Where’s the delight?
me: Any other dangers to fear?
The killer wind farms
Also cause us harm
Why don’t people see reason
And work on a redesign
Or during our migrating season
Turn off the wind turbine
me: Like wild ducks when migrating, you must fly on wind currents. The currents then smash you into the blades of the wind farms. You can’t stop. You can’t fly the large distances you cover by flapping your wings.
Sirius:
We cover over 200 kilometers a day
Relying on tailwinds to increase speed
We stop at dumpsters along the way
Traveling great distances after we feed.
Madrid, Sofia, Istanbul and Crete I have seen
To Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and Egypt I’ve been
Our trips are hazardous and thrilling
Our journeys are long and grueling
Gliding and soaring not much flapping
And compensating for crosswind drift.
Long flights without a chance of napping
The thermal wind currents give us a lift.
The very long winding land route we take
One current to the next our journey we make
Over the sea there’s no major thermal lift
These strong land currents are Nature’s gift.
It would be absurd
For such a large bird
To keep flapping its wings as it flies
It would not be very Energy Wise
Any vulture that stupidly tries
Will tire and fall from the skies.
Crossing a sea will cause it to fall down
And in the water unfortunately drown.
Athena: do you have any news about Icarus?
me: tell us what you know about him. How did you meet?
A falcon to whom I was introduced
Boasted about his very unique skills
A scavenger he said was of no use
They need a bird that hunts and kills.
I said:
You catch food your master eats well
You guard it till he comes by
You’ve never been free that I can tell
I laughed, he started to cry.
I was free once just like you
I had a spouse, I had a brood
Into a poacher’s net I flew
While I was hunting for food.
I do like my trainer he’s good and kind
I’m well fed, he takes care of me
But I wish another falcon he could find
Then I can go back to my family.
Cherub my regal spouse
The keeper of my house
She must feel so forsaken
But I didn’t leave, I was taken.
Poor talented Icarus he has perfected his art
Soon in a falconry competition he’ll take part
The competition in Alexandria he’ll grace
They are betting on his winning first place.
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