Wednesday, March 09, 2011
BIRD DOGGING
We saw "our" pair of roadrunners today, Booker and I.
They have the run of the desert piece that is across from our complex. A normal walking ground.
There is a big male who plays decoy to run us off from the nest, wherever it is.
He thinks that Booker and I are better at bird dogging than we are.
Booker likes to see them and so do I but there is no interest in finding the babies.
There is a hen too but he is so good at distracting us that we rarely see her.
There is probably pretty good food for them over there or they wouldn't be there. Baby rabbits are high on their list. There are some ground squirrels and, for sure, rats or "chipmunks" which look more like prairie dogs to me.
There are actually three contiguous desert plots of 5 acres or so. They have a big area to run in.
There is no doubt that they love to run and hate to fly. You can see their tracks all over the places that are soft and sandy.
It is great to see them and catch on to the real road runner mystique. No Wiley Coyote here. No Ajax Explosives Company. Just a very smart bird that knows how to do its job and keep his family safe.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
GIVING ME THE BIRD
I was in the kitchen and heard Mari gasp. She was in the back of the house cleaning.
I went to see, Booker along with me. Don't miss anything Booker.
There was a mocking bird in the back black bath trying to get out of the huge picture window over the tub.
He (it was a male) wasn't too panicked. Just a little. Trying to get through the glass.
It wasn't working.
I don't know why I did this but it was perfect.
I took a towel off the rack and just let it gently cover him in the tub.
It quieted him down immediately. He sort of peeked out, making a bit of a hole and it was easy for me to just put my hands around him and carry him out, through our bedroom and out the back slider where I released him.
He was very soft. I was amazed at how gently he took the whole thing.
It was over in a minute.
He flew off as though it was the most natural thing in the world.
Booker was right along side the whole time. The towel trick sort of calmed him down too. The same with me.
The kitchen sun room sliders were way open. So was the front door. The bird could have gotten in either way.
We had a hummingbird in the house once. They will sit still for you and they are very tiny to hold. Hard.
This guy was a handful. Very big. There are a few males around the yard who dominate the singing. It is territorial.
I assume that is him I hear outside just now working up to his annual love songs which are beginning soon.
Did I mention how soft he felt in my hand?
Small powerful life. Wonderful.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
HELLO!
There is a mynah bird in the neighborhood. Again.
About ten years ago, neighbors down the street got a well versed minah bird who could do a variety of whistles, a credible cat meow, a motorcycle kind of raspberry noise and so on. It sort of said hello if you were forgiving.
But, sadly, the bird died of the West Nile virus.
The new bird is working on two tones. They go up, they go down. They can go up then down (the wolf whistle) but there is some stumbling.
I am working on it. It is on a porch nice days and we exchange whistles for as long as I am in range.
I always wanted a parrot or something.
Someone else's is far superior. Their birdseed, their newspaper, my song bird.
Labels: bird, neighborhood
Monday, January 11, 2010
MANY HAPPY RETURNS
I was talking to a neighbor the other day and we saw a hawk rising from his yard.
A common occurence. The hawk uses his side yard as a dining room.
We used to have the same situation out by the pool equipment. I walked up on one having lunch one day. He flew off with is food. Quite indignant. Never came back as far as I know.
He or they do visit our yard though. We have a rotation of doves who serve as hawk food. The doves take up residence on all four sides of the house. Two on each side. A pair. Sometimes babies but not for long. They fly away to their own roosts somewhere.
Then they disappear slowly over the summer. The hawk is taking his harvest.
One by one.
Other doves take over. Other pairs. There is an excess of them. The roost on the power and telephone lines.
All of the doves have been gone for awhile now. They migrate to Mexico for two winter months.
I looked out today and there was a pair in the olive tree. They are back. So we have two on the south side. There are more on the wires out front.
These are mourning doves.
Elaborate pigeons.
They have a lot to mourn for given the hawk and all.
They are not a nuisance. Their cooing is pleasant. It is only when we flush them coming around a corner and they do that whirring thing with their wings that everyone gets excited and spooked.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
HUMMER SCENE
John found a humming bird nest in a lower branch of the carob tree just in front of the dining room.
It is at eye level plus a foot on a rather thin, new branch.
The mom is sitting there as proud as can be.
We will have to route around this side of the tree for awhile. They will quit a nest fast if there is any trouble. Or maybe not. I am making shit up here.
It is nice for observation. We will see what happens.
We have had hummingbird nests all over the yard but never so easily seen.
