To start this quest, you must know your goals, 

to find our BIRDS on ledges, sills…poles.

This poem has clues 

from which you take cues, 

such as “Don’t ask for WHOOOM the bell tolls.”

Location: Summerville Town Hall (balcony)

From here you need not go very far, 

to find the next feathered flying star,

A BIRD not too rare, 

Looking down on the mayor, 

To show you that this game’s not so hard.

Location: Blexley's Restaurant (patio balconey) 

So now that you know what to do,

Go left down the street for a view,

A place with black stairs, 

Look up for them there,

These house-loving BIRDS that are blue.

Location: Richardson St. (stairs, Mason World's Largest Sweet Tea)

Further on you will now need to go.

A colorful BIRD puts on a show.

A little restaurant – 

Mid roof – that’s the spot!

A familiar friend you should know.

Location: Short Central & Richardson

Keep going this way – that’s a start!

Look up and look left to be smart.

A huge painted mural

With birds mostly rural

And colors that will leap your heart!

Location: Short Central near parking garage

Your next BIRD you’ll often hear hum,

Sweet nectar is its favorite “yum.”

Where road turn to brick,

A small courtyard niche,

With a gate and fountain – it’s no slum.

Location: Short Central

There’s a branch now that’s over your head,

With a BIRD that’s blue, yellow, and red.

He’s there standing guard 

Above all 

And further down the road you’ve been led.

Location:  Short Central

Further still you’ll find a library,

There’s a BIRD whose song is quite merry

He could teach a clinic

How to be a mimic

And this killing talk makes him wary.

Location: Central Ave

Now BACK to the road fork…there veer left,

To find the sweet little BIRD who is next.

His head is quite sharp.

His eyes are quite dark.

Mid-block, overhead, there find your quest.

Location: The Azalea 

Go to the light and look up to the right,

Two small buds will make for quite a sight,

Their call is their name, 

They’re one and the same.

Look real fast, or they may just take flight!

Location: corner of Cedar & W. Richardson

Across the street now, you may just see

A large common BIRD who may just be

High on Cauthen Store,

Now he’s ready to soar,

A “cackle” as song he just might sing!

Location: roof of People, Places & Quilts on West Richardson Ave

Now is the time to find our state BIRD,

Up to the CORNER, least that’s the word.

On a store of drugs, this eater of bugs

Has now made you a bird-watching nerd.

Location: Guerin’s Pharmacy on “Little” Main

To mid-block now, continue your search.

There you’ll find a hole-in-the-wall church.

A life with new lease,

Thru this BIRD of peace.

Look up there…or be left in a lurch.

Location: above the entrance to Saints Cyril and Methodius Russian Orthodox Church at Hutchinson Square –

Now crossing the street’s a good start,

This golden egg layer now plays a part.

You will need to go,

And there look down low,

For the BIRD whose home’s in the TOWN park.

Location: Hutchinson Square 

To our BIRDS, CORNERS are all the rage,

So heading down there would be most sage.

While clinging to trees,

This tiny BIRD sees, 

You search block by block and page by page.

Location: Cuppa Manna café, on the West Doty side of the building

Keep going this way, since you’re here,

Within a few stores, all will be clear.

He sports a red hood.

This pecker of wood,

Once again, overhead you should peer.

Location: Along Doty St. 

This BIRD is so big and so black!

Keep going on now – don’t go back.

High up on a sign,

There you just might find

For BIRD watching, you now have a knack.

Location: West End Station Sign on Cedar St. 

Follow the tracks BACK and cross three streets,

If this BIRD wasn’t bronze, you’d hear him tweet,

From a corner sill,

He will sit until

He builds for his bride a nest retreat.

Location: Corner of Main and E. Doty 

Further on…that is your only tip,

To find a big BIRD who loves to chip.

Go to the museum,

And there you will see him,

Looking for tree-eating bugs to rip.

Location: wall of Summerville/Dorchester Museum 

That’s all this way, so reverse your step,

Back to the back column, there go left.

This BIRD sings,” Jay, Jay”

Location: "Big" Main St. 

Head to where you might find some actors,

Don’t let your sore neck be a detractor.

This BIRD’s a real sight

It flies like a kite.

On bugs, it’s a negative factor.

Location: roof of the James Dean Theater on Main Street

You may think it funny, or a joke,

Go round the corner, then go a poke,

In steel they’ve been cast,

Their name means “quite fast,”

And these BIRDs love to nest where there’s smoke.

Location: East Richardson Avenue

At Town Hall, there’s a bird in the glass,

From flocks of great numbers, one’s been cast.

They once ruled the air,

But now they’re not there.

Sad to say this BIRD’s lost to the past.

Location: window in Town Hall