The world as I see it.
Here in Nice, we enjoy a variety of birds.
The seagulls perch on the neighboring rooftops — observing, calling, conversing, and laughing at each other’s jokes. (Or so it seems.)
The martins patrol in groups, circling and swooping as they keep us safe from insects. Amazingly, I can hear the high-pitched screech of their sonar as they circle. (Fortunately, Bumbie, our friendly bumblebee who likes to visit the lavender in our balcony box, stays low and out of the martins' path.)
Some small birds occasionally flock together in the bushes. They can make a real racket.
We especially enjoy “our” neighborhood blackbird. We have named him “Hector”. He arrives at various times during the day to sing, perched on a neighboring building — maybe ours. Sometimes I amuse myself by responding to him, and we have short conversations.
But sometimes, when I respond to Hector, he stops, and we may not hear from him for the rest of the day. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s my accent — my blackbird accent from the north of France, where we used to live. Maybe I said something that offended him?
I don’t know why Hector stops. I hope that he was not offended because we enjoy listening to him!
Mark Louis Uhrich
Nice France, 9 July 2026
©Copyright 2026, Mark Louis Uhrich