DECEMBER ROADRUNNER

I had no idea that there were roadrunners in Arkansas when we moved here.

Besides things like ACME and coyotes, I guess I always associated roadrunners with the desert. Apparently, that is not the case. Along the road to our homestead, you can often see several roadrunners.

These incredible ground cuckoos can run at speeds of up to 20 mph. Many people appreciate having them around, due to the fact that their diet includes scorpions, tarantulas, and even snakes. Since they do not migrate, we can see them year round; hence this one in December.

Frequently, they don't really stop running until they are off in the distance. The rest of the time they just jump in the bushes or thicket and disappear. Finally, I tried to photograph one today. Unfortunately it was on the other side of a fence, and I was in a running vehicle. These birds are so beautiful that I wish my photography did them better justice. Hopefully, you can still appreciate it.