This showed up first thing in the morning — about six o’clock, or so. (That’s why there’s so much noise in the pictures. Lighting conditions were less than optimal, to say the least.) Anyhow, it dug up my planter and spread dirt over my balcony, so I’m exposing its nasty mouthparts to the world. World, behold:
Doesn’t the mouth look horrifying, without the rest of the bird? It’s like the inside of a clam shell, all pearlescent and…ehh…toothy?
This is not a bird, in the strictest sense of the word. It’s a kinnaree, which will appear in Ryan Durney’s upcoming “Birds of Lore” book. It’s related to birding only in that that I’ve been working on it when I’d ordinarily be out looking for birds, for the last little while.
This kinnaree has been spending too much time with the local crows: it has begun to emulate the stampy bird dance they do, while waiting their turn at the feeder.
On another note, today’s apparently World Naked Gardening Day. How do you rate my odds of snagging some naughty snaps of Mr. Dolgonosov? (Not, of course, that I have a thing for horrid old men, or their horrid old flesh. I meant more, y’know, for blackmail purposes: “Chase that goose ONE MORE TIME, and I spread your Cryptkeeper arse all over Facebook!”)
Oh, dear. That was unpleasant.
Stay tuned for birds — actual birds!
