As the trees and shrubs begin to leaf out and flower, the back yard has become a bird haven once again. This morning as I sit out with my coffee I can hear the drumming of a woodpecker across the alley. Doves are cooing as they hunt for seeds under the hanging bird feeders. The house finches are perching and flitting in the purple robe locust tree. The females are drab brown but the males have a bright red cap and when they fly off you get a flash of red from under the wings. I didn't notice these finches in the back yard uuntil this past summer, but now we have four pairs visiting our feeders. We also have purple finches coming around ocassionally.
A family of starlings has returned to their perennial home in the neighbor's attic. They go in and out of the attic between the bricks that make up the attic vent screen. One of the bricks has a chip in it and they can just squeeze through there. The male is perched at his front door right now and is going through his song repertoire. I always think of the movie
Serial Mom when I see starlings. I know it is silly, but it is memerable. Beverley has a favorite starling she calls Dee Dee.
The English weavers are checking the feeders - they are nearly empty - and a robin just lit in the arborvitae. I haven't seen the cardinals yet today. A pair lives in a large honeysuckle bush behind the nearby apartment building and they will no doubt be here soon.
Just two days ago I came home from work and stretched out in the hammock to read. I was engrossed in
My Life as an Indian until a frantic flapping sound caught my attention. At the same time I noticed the general bird population of the back yard scattering and heard Dudley (the rooster) screech his warning cry to the hens. I looked up in time to see a pigeon flying across the yard as fast as he could go. I barely had time to register what was going on when a peregrine falcon, wings locked, streaked across my field of vision in pursuit of the pigeon.
I have read about the peregrine's great speed and diving attacks but have never had the privilege of seeing it before. It was awesome. She came in at the bottom of her dive looking looking like a jet fighter - wings held stationary with one wing up and the other down at about 30 degrees to horizontal. It was all over in the blink of an eye.
Peregrines were revered by the ancient Native Americans who lived around St. Louis. Their art includes images of warriors with the eye markings of a peregrine. The markings, or "eye surround" in these pictures is stylized but the reference is unmistakable. Perhaps Mississippian warriors wore this symbol as a reference to the peregrine's great speed and power in attack. By the way, the pigeon got away this time.
As the trees and shrubs begin to leaf out and flower, the back yard has become a bird haven once again. This morning as I sit out with my coffee I can hear the drumming of a woodpecker across the alley. Doves are cooing as they hunt for seeds under the hanging bird feeders. The house finches are perching and flitting in the purple robe locust tree. The females are drab brown but the males have a bright red cap and when they fly off you get a flash of red from under the wings. I didn't notice these finches in the back yard uuntil this past summer, but now we have four pairs visiting our feeders. We also have purple finches coming around ocassionally.
A family of starlings has returned to their perennial home in the neighbor's attic. They go in and out of the attic between the bricks that make up the attic vent screen. One of the bricks has a chip in it and they can just squeeze through there. The male is perched at his front door right now and is going through his song repertoire. I always think of the movie Serial Mom when I see starlings. I know it is silly, but it is memerable. Beverley has a favorite starling she calls Dee Dee.
The English weavers are checking the feeders - they are nearly empty - and a robin just lit in the arborvitae. I haven't seen the cardinals yet today. A pair lives in a large honeysuckle bush behind the nearby apartment building and they will no doubt be here soon.
Just two days ago I came home from work and stretched out in the hammock to read. I was engrossed in My Life as an Indian until a frantic flapping sound caught my attention. At the same time I noticed the general bird population of the back yard scattering and heard Dudley (the rooster) screech his warning cry to the hens. I looked up in time to see a pigeon flying across the yard as fast as he could go. I barely had time to register what was going on when a peregrine falcon, wings locked, streaked across my field of vision in pursuit of the pigeon. 
I have read about the peregrine's great speed and diving attacks but have never had the privilege of seeing it before. It was awesome. She came in at the bottom of her dive looking looking like a jet fighter - wings held stationary with one wing up and the other down at about 30 degrees to horizontal. It was all over in the blink of an eye. 
Peregrines were revered by the ancient Native Americans who lived around St. Louis. Their art includes images of warriors with the eye markings of a peregrine. The markings, or "eye surround" in these pictures is stylized but the reference is unmistakable. Perhaps Mississippian warriors wore this symbol as a reference to the peregrine's great speed and power in attack. By the way, the pigeon got away this time.
