On this morning's walk I heard baby mockingbirds for the first time this year. It's a pathetic sound they make when they first hatch; sounds like a cheap plastic whistle. Hard to believe that in a few weeks they'll be able to sing like virtuosos.
In fact there are a lot of just hatched birds in the neighborhood. I know this because their parents are in the midst of their annual cycle of territorial fierceness. Not only do they swoop and peck at Jake (who has no interest in finding or eating their chicks) but they swoop and peck at me, too.
Probably I shouldn't be insulted, but I am. I reassure them repeatedly that I'm just passin' through, but do they listen? Cranky little modern day dinosaurs! Are they channeling Alfred Hitchcock, or what?
22 comments:
The trailer's WAY better than the movie. Loved it.
As for birds swooping and pecking at this stage of the game, it used to bother me when we had swallows on every window ledge at the farmhouse. Until I realized they were busy teaching the little ones how to behave in the presence of unknown creatures.
Just watch - in a few days or weeks (depending on the species), they will pay you no mind at all - no matter how nice you are. Ah well.
Enjoy the day, best to Jake.
I agree totally. He was such an evil genius.
Morning coffee while watching Alfred. I'd forgotten how funny he was. Haven't seen that movie in ages.
I love that picture with the shadows of the trees.
They are feisty all right. When my son was about 15 I got him to go down the street with me to pick mulberries from the tree on the corner. There was a mockingbird who had a nest nearby and kept swooping at us. I told my son to just ignore it but just then the bird dove down and pecked him on the head. I laughed so hard but he did not see the humor of it. To this day he is wary of mockingbirds.
Another great picture.
Good thing our resident eagles have their nest a ways away. I'd hate to be dive-bombed and pecked by one of them!
ah dogs, bless em. if it wasnt for their daily walks us owners would be without swooping bird encounters, nettle stings, mucky shoes, sprained ankles, not to mention the never graceful act of picking poop off the pavement... nah, just kidding, I love my four legged friends too, but I almost talked myself out of todays walk!
Poor Jake! We have kingbirds here-- a variety of flycatchers, & not particularly large birds at all-- & they dive bomb our cats later in the summer when their young are learning to fly. It drives the cats off one of the lawns & generally makes their lives kind of miserable. But I've got to say I admire the kingbirds' bravery in doing this.
I always find it interesting the amount of whistling noise the baby mockingbirds make. It's almost constant, and seems as though it wouldn't be safe for them to draw such attention to their vulnerable selves.
Last year we had a family of robins on our porch. Winter, we cleared it all out, and lo and behold, they're back again this year, chirping away for another month or so.
I remember after the Birds came out, whenever we'd visit Bodega Bay, we'd look for them, but they never came!
Cheers!
That's a very intriguing photograph, Reya. It's lovely, but I can't quite figure out what I'm looking at. Is that a raised fountain?
Birds are so lovely . . . until they are swooping at your head. Poor Tippi Hendren. Hitchcock put her through hell, apparently because she had spurned his advances.
I've just been reading about Daphne du Maurier, who penned this frightening story. Am I moving off-topic? . . . anyway, Happy Saturday! xx
"hockfunt" is one of the funniest word verifications that I've seen for a while
A number of years ago, there was a HUGE crow in our neighborhood that would swoop and peck. He took me to my knees one day. I tried to reassure them and also not be afraid. But in the end, I just had to carry my tennis racket to wave him away. Crows are supposed to be a good omen so I was honored, kind of.
Who wouldn't spurn Alfred's advances? EWWW!! Funny, I thought he was gay.
But I have read about how cruel he was to poor Tipi. She's the mom of Melanie Griffith, I think. Is that right?
The pic is Tennessee Avenue. The reflection of the treetops via a car roof sprinkled with raindrops.
Genius, original and inspiring photography. Car roofs. Genius.
I found you through archived Blogs of Note
The Birds..worst movie ending ever...
a few years ago i saw the robins nesting in my yard attacking a hawk..they ARE fiesty...this year i had one buzzing me, but in all fairness I WAS peeking in at the youngsters...so i deserved it.
I love the way you linked up mockingbirds with The Bird by Hitchcock. Great movie. And funny man. As funny as one of those little, itsy bitsy birdies hatching right now and whose singing is not up to scratch yet. Many thanks.
Greetings from London.
I startled a baby bird yesterday, and he flew into something. I felt awful, but he was okay. He shook himself, and then flew off to sit in a puddle. I watched him for a few minutes to make sure he could fly away. Love baby birds.
Years ago, blue jays built a next in the bushes next to my parents' side door. It was impossible to enter or exit there, since the birds dive bombed whoever was near.
We just took the dogs for a walk in the woods. The amazing sound of owls
communicating and wood thrushes singing were gifts of the evening.
Hey Girl,
Swooping birds is better than pooping birds!
A bird crapped on me recently.
I think it's a sign of good luck.
Happy Mother's Day to you. If Jake is your Fur Child, he is one lucky dog.
Coco is my young Fur Child.
She still poops on the kitchen floor though.
*sigh*
Oh, poor debra.
Blue Jays are the WORST swoopers. Very aggressive buggers.
I absolutely love the top pic on this post. Nice blog. X
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