When I opened the shades this morning Joe was on station. I slipped on my sandals and retrieved a half can of bird seed from the storage locker out back. Joe just sits there watching. I filled the bird feeder with the special blend of "No Mess" bird seed. The sun is teasing the horizon. Another glorious day in the high desert is about to begin.
Not long after the sun arrives the birds are here. Again there has to be a couple of hundred. It is a circus. They vie for position to feed directly from the feeder. The others gather around on the ground below the feeder to peck at the fall out. There are birds on the fence, birds in the trees, birds on the bird houses. There are no birds near Joe. Could they have learned that danger lurks at the waterfall?
I'm puttering around the kitchen when a dove (I call them who-who birdies because of their call) starts toward the waterfall. I wait to see what will develop. In the last few days following Joe's failed attempt to take down a dove by latching onto it's tail Joe hasn't even tried to prey on doves that were ripe for the pick'n. Maybe she wasn't hungry enough... I don't know. The dove moves down to the water and starts to drink. Joe is about 2 feet away and facing the dove. The dove drinks. Joe turns, facing away from the dove. Joe's movement scares the dove to flight. That was odd.
I thought Joe must have learned that doves were too big. A short time later another dove approaches the water just like the last one. Looks to be about the same size and the first dove. This time Joe submerges and moves toward the dove. I guess something was different with this bird. Joe surfaces about a foot from the dove. The dove doesn't see Joe (sometimes I think some of these birds are blind). Joe leaps. The dove was faster and flies away as Joe lands on the flat rock and just sits there.
Joe is one fat frog! If I can get a picture I'll post it but this gal is really fat. I have to believe part of her failed attempts to catch a bird is because she is full. Comparing how she looked a few weeks ago and how she looks now is mind boggling. Life has been good I guess. Stocking up for the winter, maybe. Fat... definitely.
Within a couple of minutes a small bird approaches the waterfall. Wow, busy morning. This is just Joe's size and of the same type he has caught in the past. Again Joe is facing the bird but the bird doesn't seem to see him. Joe is only a foot or so away. I'm wondering if Joe is going to go after this little birdie. Joe seems to hesitate. I thought if he was going to attack he would have by now. The bird starts to drink. That must have been what Joe was waiting for... for the bird to lower it's head. Joe leaps again. Same rock, different bird. A split second later the bird is gone and fat Joe is sitting on the rock again. Joe slowly moves back into the water.
Birds 2, Joe 0.
Ginger and I went out to plant some bushes so all the birds left. Joe went to her secret hangout... hopefully to digest what ever is inside of her and to return on Sunday... maybe with a little bounce in her step.
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