Pictures

Clearly I'm behind again.

This picture is Gimme's haul from the UKC nosework trial of two weeks ago.  She came away with 4 qualifying runs, two fourth placements, one third placement, one second place and a new title.  Gimme doesn't care about ribbons.  She cares about her new toy, Terry the Pterodactyl.  She played with Terry a bit at first, but has since gone back to the Lenny the Leopard.  Lenny is her baby for the current false pregnancy.  At least they both have spots, eh. 

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On Sunday I got this distant picture
of Yelling bird on the wire across the street.

Since then I've been taking pictures of my bird squatters.  I've talked to my friend Carol and we've confirmed it is a California Scrub Jay.  I first noticed it because it kept yelling at me every time I came or went through the door to my house.  It is supposed to be a song bird, but there is nothing melodious about it's yelling.

On the second day of the feeding strategy
Yelling bird is coming within 10 feet
of me for peanuts.


Carol suggested I feed it, so it would know I was a safe person.  She kindly gave me a bag of unsalted peanuts in the shell.  Before I could try the peanut strategy, it became quiet and I thought it had moved on.  Then Monday it reappeared and resumed yelling at me.  On Tuesday I laid out 6 peanuts to see what would happen.  When I came home they were gone.  So, I laid out 6 more and later they were gone.  When Gimme and I went to nosework class I left 4 peanuts, which were gone when we got back.

Yelling-bird is renamed Crazy-bird for
planting a peanut hedge.


This morning while I was getting ready to go, I saw Yelling-bird sitting on a wire across the street for a long time, then it was gone.  Later it was back.  So when I left for my appointment I put out a large handful of peanuts and when I turned to lock up the back door, I looked over and saw it on the gate and then on the ground, just 10 feet away.  Apparently I am officially safe.


Cleverly named Dark-bird

I watched it for a bit, to see if it would take the peanuts to the nest.  Not!  Instead it takes them up the line of my fence and buries them in the grass outside the yard.  I hope it doesn't plan to grow too many peanut trees.  <g>  After watching this several times I had to leave, but not before renaming it Crazy-bird.  Seriously, I assume it is hiding the peanuts from others who might be inclined to steal its newfound largess.

When I got home from work today, Crazy-bird immediately showed up to see if I was inclined to lay out another smorgasbord.  I was.  I wanted to get these pictures.

Dark-bird is handsome, but shy.

While I was sitting there I noticed another Scrub Jay on the telephone wire going from my house to the pole across the street.  It is much darker than Crazy-bird and far more timid.  It a fit of cleverness, I named it Dark-bird.  It wouldn't get close enough to get peanuts while I was standing there, so I went inside and watched through the window.

In no time I saw yet another show up.  This bird is smaller and even more timid.  Showing even more naming cleverness, this one has been named Third-bird.

Third-bird.  Picture taken through
a dirty window.

It's been fun playing with the birdies.  If I had the time to devote to such things, I might be tempted to see how bold Crazy-bird will become.  On the other hand, I do think wild-things are best left wild, for their own safety.





It do see a fairly strong political statement shaping up here. 

"If you hand out free goodies, they will come."