As most of you know, I am a lover of all God's creatures (*disclaimer* I firmly believe that Satan created pigeons and spiders). I whipped my phone out to take a picture of the loving couple. Then I heard a rustling in the bushes next to me and realized that there was a nest full of babies that Mom and Dad were warning with their calls. So I did what any animal lover would do and kicked the bush a couple of times so I could scare them out and get another picture. I swear there's a baby there. It's right in the corner and looks like a pile of spotted pebbles.
It brought to mind an experience I had circa six years ago. Our home in GA was across from a new neighborhood that was being plotted out for future building. It was basically trees and REALLY tall grass and some stacks of building materials. Nathan and I took a walk down said street one day and came across these:
Aren't they precious? I thought "Awwwww- baby ducks! There's no water around here! Where did they come from? Poor things. I will follow them and catch them and cuddle with them." A perfectly reasonable thought, no? I didn't stop to wonder why these ducklings had such long legs.
Let me tell you....you don't know fear until a wild mama turkey hen raises up out of the tall grass beside you and displays her five foot wingspan in an obvious threat to your life.
Recalling this encounter made me feel a wee bit of detestation for these quail. I mean, sure, they clucked and yelped to warn their babies of danger, but they ran away! And I'm talkin' FAR away. The closer I got to the nest, the further mom and dad ran. How sad is that? What makes one bird fiercly protective of her young and the other so self-serving? Any thoughts? Give it to me Cyndi- I know you will have some thoughts. ;)
10 comments:
most smaller birds like quail and dove and ducks try to divert attention away from the nest thinking the intruder will follow them...larger birds as in predators(eagles, hawks and the such) will attact. Turkeys have talons or spurs. They can do some damage.
That's what I would think too, that they were risking their lives for their babies and tried to lure you away.
You guys are so smart!
really?
Yeah, that sounds like a good answer to me. All I know is that image of the wild turkey is cracking me up!
i like to try to befriend (and cuddle with) wild animals too!
OMG I HAD COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN ABOUT THAT!!!! I was with you, remember? We were trying to corner them to pick them up...bad idea.
And this is just funny- my word verification is "deader" That's what we almost were!!!
Welcome to AZ and the musical call of Gambel's Quail, indigenous to the Sonoran Desert. (How's that?)
I'm sorry, but we risk disappointment in the sacred order of "things as they are" if we continue to anthromorphosize dumb animals. Do you really want me to give you list of animal moms who eat their babies?
When my family first moved here in 1971, my little brothers had some pet mice that - well, you know, reproduced quite efficiently. The cage was stinky, so we would place it out on the back patio of our new Scottsdale home in the cool mornings.
We noticed a beautiful Roadrunner coming to our dining room window every day! Oh, he/she was lovely; much larger than you would suspect, bright baby blue skin patch behind each eye, wondrously textured patterns on the plumage...we considered his bold visits to peer in our window a grand treat.
UNTIL we started to notice we were minus mouse babies. The bird was simply plucking them one at a time each morning a la carte straight through the bars of the cage which we had provided so thoughtfully. To our observation, the mother mouse was the only one scurrying out of reach; leaving her brood helplessly available like a mouse latte-fix until 9 babies were down to 2. She didn't seem the least traumatized by the ordeal, pooping away every 6.5 seconds and endlessly grooming her monstrously selfish fur.
Stupid mouse.
I got revenge many years later when Leiland lost interest in his pet mice and I caught the son mouse being amorous with his mother - (creeperpervo). I took them to Papago Park (adjacent to the botanical gardens) and let them go free where snakes and hawks could thank me later. Bon apetite.
Haha. Jason's folks have turkeys.. Wild ones. They bought them though. Anyway, if you get in their way, they will peck you and leave a dent and bruise in your body part that got pecked. They are feirce!
I think you could have taken that turkey...b/w you and Paige- it would have made an easy/free dinner.
What dream did you have about Kate???
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