Friday, June 03, 2016

The Strange Bird Caper

I feed birds.  I know, its the same as feeding wildlife, raccoons, possums, what have you.   But I relented, grew weak three winters back, when the temperatures plummeted into single digits and the birds suffered.

Then, I realized how much my contained in the yard cats love watching the birds, through the cat yard peep holes, ledges and climbs.  So I continued feeding the birds, from a bird feeder I got for a few bucks and free thrown seed on the cement, where the cats can watch them come and go.

I had ducks show up, in from who knows where, just a couple of them, for a couple of weeks.

I've had Cooper's hawks show.  The hawks want to kill a fat pigeon or sparrow to eat for themselves.

Birds are terribly cruel to one another.  Scrub jays yank out and eat the sparrow babies.  The sparrow adults immediately begin courting again like nothing happened.

About four days ago, I hear strange sounds outside, early morning.  Loud screeching.  Like something is in terrible trouble.

I go out and jump out of my skin!--startled by the sight of this.....

What in the world?

Guinea Fowl
I had to look up online what the bird might be now in my yard or out roaming nearby yards, pecking at bugs.  Guinea Fowl are not native to Oregon or even to North America.  They are African birds but as has been the case with many other species, were brought here because of their exotic looks and to be raised and bred, as livestock or because someone likes their looks.  The birds are often raised as chickens or kept to warn of predators or eat bad bugs.  As always happens, some have escaped and must find food on their own to survive.

So why is he roaming a suburban cul de sac?  You got me.  Somebody nearby was possibly raising birds and turned him out, or he got out.  And now he's here.

For days he roamed the yards back and forth and I waited to see him flattened in the road, or drug around bloody and half dead in a free roaming big mean dog's mouth.

In the meantime, I've tried to catch Big Bird.  I named him Big Bird.

I've tried to catch Big Bird.  Without success...
Zeva the white cat, half the birds' size, chased after him, curious, so I chased Zeva away.

Today he's not around and I miss him already even though I hate his screeching me awake the last few mornings.

11 comments:

  1. What were you going to do with it if you caught it?

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    Replies
    1. Someone with a farm full of rescued animals said she would take him.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous1:44 PM

    I believe they are at times eaten, roasted.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are the second blogger that I follow to feature these weird looking birds. I hope that you can get him to the rescue farm...

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    Replies
    1. No sign of him all day today. I fear the worst.

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  4. We raised guineas for years... they are noisy and are supposed to be good "watch dogs".... but they can get excited over a leaf turned the wrong way. We raised them because they are good bug catchers... we did sell some for meat at the Farmer's Market... but mostly just to help keep the bug population down. They do set a nest, but are terrible mothers. They might hatch out 17 chicks and start out the day with them... and by the end of the day end up with 7. So what if the kid wanders off into the brush? They are basically wild birds... roosting high up in trees at night so they are susceptible to the night predators (or coyotes during the day).... but are fairly whiley... however when one starts screeching they all start in and give their location away. We are overrun with those 17 year cicadas this summer... maybe a few guineas running around would take care of a few ;-) Good luck catching this guy... that won't be easy.

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    Replies
    1. I read your blog about the cicada invasion and don't know if I could handle it.

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  5. You seem to have the most interesting adventures right outside your home. Bless you, my dear, in yet another rescue attempt.

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    Replies
    1. Wish I'd caught him, he's vanished now and I doubt met a kind fate.

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  6. I had four guinea fowl in my small welsh field and loved the noisey little birds so much, great characters

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    Replies
    1. They grow on you. I know he grew on me. And now, I hear, he has moved three blocks away, a new person he has attached to.

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