Author Archives: packbawky

Worthless Crapbawky

Just when I thought the worthless crapbawky couldn’t get any uglier, it stopped by immediately following a mid-afternoon cloudburst. What a sorry-looking creature! How is it still alive? Isn’t it cold, with that great bare patch? It was round several times, today, feeding a peeping flock of wee ones. I suppose it can’t be too uncomfortable, as it’s still reproducing (and quite successfully, by the looks of things). Still, one can’t help but feel a bit sorry for it.

Oh, crapbawky! You’re so ugly. Especially when wet. Dry yourself off, puff yourself up, and pretend you don’t know why everyone’s staring at you.

Minigulls

If the minigulls keep growing at this rate, I’ll have to come up with a new word for them. Maxigulls?

Northern Flicker

For the first time, since the falcon attack, a northern flicker has visited the garden.

He sits on the roof, with the wind ruffling his feathers, and an alert look in his eye.

Don’t squawk too loudly, little fellow. You’ll attract the falcon.

The squawking of the minigulls (and their noisily protective parents), seems to have hit critical mass, for Mr. Dolgonsov. This morning, bright and early, I heard him out in the garden, yelling “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!” I hastened to the window, and there he was, grasping his tufts of yellowed hair, and glowering at the roof. I was hoping that would happen. If ever anyone deserved a cacophony from above, it’s Mr. Dolgonosov. He’s got at least another month of shrieking to look forward to, if not more — how long does it take a little gull to feather up and learn to fly? Quite a while, as I recall — six weeks? Eight? Somewhere in that range, I’m sure. Meanwhile, their little pipings grow more strident, each day. They’re even learning those irritating alarm calls: gah-gah-gah. Gah-gah-gah! Gah-gah-gah!

I’m also mildly annoyed by all the noise, but I have the antidote. I have an iPod. If Mr. Dolgonosov didn’t kick birds, I’d get him one, too. But he does, so I won’t.

Meanwhile, on the balcony:

In my excitement over the minigulls, I’ve rather been neglecting my more constant companions, the sparrows. This is one of the worthless crapbawky’s offspring. So far, he (or she) remains fully-feathered.

And outdoors (see? See? I was outdoors!):

I found a flower, just outside my building. It was white.