Peacock Update

[ Proud as a peacock ]

September 12 – Yes, the peacocks are still with us! And since the birds are finally staying closer to us, I decided I would try to talk more often to them when they were near us. My number one question was, “When are you going to let me take some good pictures of you and listen to your throat sounds that everybody says all peacocks do?” Then I would say something like, “You need to be like the cat which always likes to be petted? I would even sing to you if you would answer!” Then I would kind of sing to them in little verses I made up as I went along.

For the first several days the birds were here, we never heard that typical call they make. And then finally we did – it was pretty loud, but it didn’t bother us because it was all new to us. We were standing out by the feeder box and then heard some really loud “music” as the two birds seemed to be trying to win the “concert’ they were providing for us. When I spouted out, “Urrr-arrrrr” (I was laughing so much that I could hardly come up with anything), the birds didn’t seem to mind. After all, how many of their relatives enjoyed a concert from a former teacher? (history, English, and Social Studies, BUT NOT MUSIC!)

[ Preening on the driveway ]

When I looked out the kitchen window later that week, I was both surprised and shocked and concerned! The peacocks were back near the garden, and we didn’t want them to go inside and ruin the crop of beautiful tomatoes. First, I opened the gate near the shed, then started my inspection, not yet knowing if those birds had managed to get into the garden.

Uh-oh, just as I was walking past one of the rows, I could see a peacock looking around way down at the end! Quickly I started walking towards him. I knew I couldn’t catch him because they can walk pretty rapidly and even run or fly the short distances in the garden. After following the smaller bird from row to row, I saw the larger one pecking through a big pile of tossed-out veggies right at the top of the compost heap!

Oh, for my camera! I could have taken several pics before the bird even realized I was in the area. When he did, off he went as fast as he could through the rows until he came to the big metal gate, where he flew right out of the area. His friend followed right after, I closed the gate near the shed, and went back to the house to tell Dale the story. One thing really surprised me. I knew from the beginning that the chin and neck areas were a very beautiful blue, but much more so as we are closer to the birds.

Since we were in church the next day, we had no idea of where the birds might be. Couldn’t see them anywhere after we got home. But the next day there they were, right in the driveway, enjoying themselves and finally trusting us enough that they came closer to us as we stood just inside the garage door. How I did enjoy my conversation with those big peacocks. When I talked to them in my made-up-language, using whatever words came to mind, they didn’t even move away. So why not try to feed them?

[ Score me some cheerios, bub! ]

An hour later they had eaten some stale potato chips, a cupful or more of Cheerios, bread, and a can of whole kernel corn. When I asked Dale to get my camera for me, I continued “singing and talking” while I took a number of pictures. That number grew quickly because I wanted to be sure that I had at least several of the birds. A number of times, as soon as I was taking a picture, the bird moved! I am not the world’s best photographer, but I tried!

For the first time, we heard some high-pitched sounds coming from those birds. Three or four days had gone by, and they finally decided that we would be their friend, not an enemy. How they did gobble up the food, even though it were one bit at a time.

The peacocks were up early the next day, standing in front of the garage door, just waiting for the Good Samaritans who lived in the house to open the door and toss out the food. Well, who can resist a request like that! After their usual diet, they wandered all over the place until they were ready to jump up into the feed box for a rest.

[ Cat investigating the bird population ]

But not for long. Since I had planned to mow several acres of lawn, I asked Dale if he would get the mower ready so I could start that big job after I had done the hand mowing. As I pushed the mower for an hour or so, those two birds followed me pretty closely, enjoying the bugs along the way. Then as the day became hotter and hotter, up to 90, the peacocks decided to rest in the shade. However, as I mowed later with the riding mower, they soon became my followers, as they walked behind me finding such succulent and tasty food as only bugs can supply. By the end of the day, it seemed that those peacocks had adopted us and had decided to stay.

So where are they now? Preening those long, long feathers as they have been doing for hours today. Looking on is Cat, who likes to be counted as the head of the show. After all, she did arrive on the scene a number of years ago and has been happy ever since! – CHRIS