Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Mostly Mammals and Then There's Popper


As the Crow flies---This guy gave me a complete fit. I looked outside and saw six squirrels, then a Crow head popped out from behind the half-barrel planter. Then it popped back out of sight. I waited, he waited. No Crow. He must have been peering somehow through a crack because the moment I turned for the camera he was up and in the Crow "private spot".

And they all seem to know about it.

There is a place in one of the back trees where there is a perch which is obscured by a much bigger branch, just perfect to conceal a Crow while she eats. Mostly, all I can see are feet,
now and again a beak point, and if quick, a glimpse or two of the snack.

Our Crow Popper then whipped off the "private spot" even before I got a photo of her feet. Then swoosh, she landed on the tip top of the tree, and finally click, just before,

She flew down to once again obscure herself. That not being good enough she began the pop- your-head-above-the-slope game. Down she went to the ground just beyond the rise in the slope that angles down to the park. I'd watch, and pop, there's a black head disembodied above the snow, now there's not, making it's way west. And usually Crows being rather bright tend to like to do the POP if behind some dried weeds now and again just to give the whole thing variety.

Fine. I like squirrels anyway. In fact, look carefully, at the profile of the squirrel in the down right corner. It's something about her mouth, chin, and compact body. That is Snowflake the female who is partial to picnic table copulation. Also note that her tail is more sparse than the others. Perhaps she has been pulling out hair to make her nest cozy. To tell you the truth, I've wondered, partially because of her picnic table activities if she isn't the mother of the other eight squirrels who are often out there helping themselves.


This squirrel is digging into the snow with his nose to find sunflower seeds that haven't had their innards consumed as yet.

They really are little gray furry eating machines. Though if you're going to be an herbivore continuous eating is rather in the cards.

Speaking of herbivores, deep in the night the Cottontails come in to browse under the feeders for what they hope is a safe meal. Look. Do you find that one bunny familiar?

I'm pretty sure that this is Blaze the Bunny.
Donegal Browne













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