Author Archives: packbawky

Dirty, Filthy, Naughty Voyeur Pics!

  By packbawky | 25/05/2013 - 8:13 pm |
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First of all, let it be noted that the bird of prey in my last entry is not, as I’d imagined, a gyrfalcon. With the help of several more pairs of eyes (thanks again, bird forum), it’s been firmly pegged as a peregrine. Still a new one on me!

That said, today is dirty, dirty bird sex day. And it’s funny I should begin this entry with a note on something I got wrong, because remember that post I made a few weeks ago, about the massive sparrowfight? Well, I caught a male sparrow doing the same stupid bird dance all over my balcony, today, and this time, the female didn’t peck him hard and kick him off the rail. This time, it ended, ehh, a bit differently.

(Oontz! Oontz! Oontz! Hee-hee-hee. Boom-chicka-wow.)

Yeah, apparently, that aggressive posturing is more of a mating display. One can learn a couple of things from this:

1) House sparrows are more flexible than you’d think. They can stick their tails up at a ninety-degree angle; did you know?

2) Rejection really hurts, when you’re a sparrow. Best not do the birdly equivalent of David Brent’s MC Hammer-meets-Flashdance caper; she’ll peck your brains out.

Dance! Dance!

I see you, baby....

I see you, baby….

–and the female —

Keep going, buddy; she likes it!

Keep going, buddy; she likes it!

— and the male, again —

Wiggle-wiggle-wiggle-wiggle-wiggle!

Wiggle-wiggle-wiggle-wiggle-wiggle!

Later on, I caught the gulls up to the same sort of business. I saw a crow eat their last batch of eggs, a couple of days ago, so it seems they’re trying again. Really, they ought to find a better spot for their nest. That roof is lousy with crows. And building maintenance doesn’t much seem to appreciate gull nests, either. I’m afraid their efforts are doomed — but they’re certainly going at it with enthusiasm. Of course, I left the balcony once they got going, and gave them a spot of privacy —

–oh, wait:

Oh, yeah! That's right! Uh-huh! ...that was so good, I'm just going to nip your head. (Peck.)

Oh, yeah! That’s right! Uh-huh!
…that was so good, I’m just going to nip your head. (Peck.)

Ahem.

And, to end on the note I began, I caught another glimpse of the falcon, this afternoon. I hope it comes closer, next time; I’d like a proper shot.

The peregrine falcon came back, today. I know it's the same one, because it has the same worn patches on its wings and tail. Once again, it didn't come anywhere near me. But this time, I got an identifiable shot.

The peregrine falcon came back, today. I know it’s the same one, because it has the same worn patches on its wings and tail. Once again, it didn’t come anywhere near me. But this time, I got an identifiable shot.

Stop, thing!

  By packbawky | 21/05/2013 - 3:06 pm |
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I haven’t forgotten about birds! I’ve just been frightfully busy — and, speaking of frightful, I’ve come back with a tale of gore, guts, and, ehh…gyrfalcons? — guaranteed to make your skin crawl. (In fact, it’s a brief anecdote about one bird eating another bird, while a third bird tries to horn in on the snack, but let’s not let facts get in the way of grandstanding.)

On with the tale! At some point last week, I was sitting by the window, watching a fluffy young northern flicker, of the red-shafted variety, trying out its brand new wings. It was stretching them out and folding them back up, as though it simply enjoyed the way it felt, and coincidentally giving the world a lovely view of its bright red plumage. Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only one enjoying the display: almost the instant I turned my back, I heard a horrific scream from the courtyard. I turned around, just in time to see the poor flicker being borne off by a hungry THING. (I call it a THING not in a perjorative fashion, but because I didn’t get a good look at it, and have no idea what it was.) At any rate, off flew the THING, with the flicker’s dying squeaks tailing off in its wake. And up surged a gull, from its rooftop nest, and flapped off in hot pursuit. The THING wheeled. The gull undercut it. Both beat their wings furiously, and vanished behind the treeline, where I presume one or the other (or both) devoured the poor flicker.

And here they are, all three — you can just see the flicker’s beak sticking out, beneath the THING; I think it’s still alive, there:

The gull is not trying to save the flicker from the voracious thing. It's trying to snatch it for itself. I see gulls quite frequently, snatching other birds' prey. Lazy gits.

The gull is not trying to save the flicker from the voracious thing. It’s trying to snatch it for itself. I see gulls quite frequently, snatching other birds’ prey. Lazy gits.

Dreadful shot, I know. They were halfway to the trees already, before I could snatch up my camera. In truth, I didn’t think I’d caught the THING, at all; I was so certain I’d only snapped the gull, I didn’t bother checking, till today.

(If you can identify the THING, please speak up. It’s quite a handsome THING, I think. I’d like to see it again, or failing that, a better picture of one.)