It is a real problem around our place. Californians invade our yard every day, dozens of them. They show up butt-nekked except their silly hats. They steal food, make a racket, poop all over the yard then take off without so much as a "by your leave" or "thank you kindly."
Sometimes we catch the hoodlums partying in the middle of the road. It is nuts. They will just take off running, DOWN THE ROAD, right in front of the car. It is like they are playing some weird version of "Russian Roulette" only instead of waiting for a gun to go off, the game is to see when the pissed off Idahoan finally goes off and mows you down with the car. They could EASILY run left or right and get out of the way but no... down the middle of the road. OK, the "stupid Californians" thing is a running joke around here but there comes a point when I really do yell at them "You can FLY, you idiots!" When they take wing at last, they FLY down the middle of the road right in front of the car. Then land. Then take off running down the middle of the road...
Today, I was down working on the little trailer we are rehabbing. I had the front door open to catch the last of the cool morning air. Apparently a flock of California quail had gathered around the front steps and when I walked past the door they freaked out and everybody flew away except this guy who had a MUCH better escape plan... There's one in every crowd!
Now, it is kind of cool catching a wild bird, they are amazing creatures. If you have followed my blog much you know we had a spate of birds coming in through a missing piece of mantel last winter. They would fly in, beat themselves senseless against a window, then I could pick them up and turn them loose. Their little hearts would just RACE as I carried them. This quail was not like that, he seemed quite OK with me grabbing him and packing him to the door, it struck me as rather odd. That said, I really have had plenty of chances to have a bird in the hand now and I have a bare lot that needs some major landscaping so if anyone is out there ready to make a swap, word on the street is a bird in the hand is worth two bushes, right? 😁
Thanks for stopping by!
