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Jul. 23rd, 2001 08:01 pmI saw a baby grackle today.
I like the buggers; most people don't, thinking them dirty. I have kept birds and worked with them- trust me, they're all dirty.
Anyway, this one was standing on the ground in the parking lot as I came out of work. I know the fabulous grackle mating dance happens in March-April, and I have no idea how long the eggs incubate, but I figure the tyke was a couple of months old. It was sort of fledged, in that it had grackle-colored feathers, but it was still a little scrawny and had no tail. It would have fit in the palm of my hand. It looked awfully hot... it's beak was open, in a 'I'm hot' look as opposed to a 'put food in me' gape. Though it probably wouldn't have minded a snack either.
In the hierarchy of animals that have adapted to city life, pigeons remind me of sheep or cows. They just look dumb. Grackles remind me more of coyotes- I know they'll eat anything (I saw one catch a beetle a few days ago) and they just have a more crafty (dare I say, wily) gleam in their eye.
Hell, who am I kidding. I just like 'em because they dress in black. :)
It was so hot today- even at 7:30pm. Weatherbug tells me it's still 97 degrees. I couldn't imagine living outside all day when it's like this. Talk about not fit for man nor beast. They seem to manage though; guess I'm just a wuss.
I like the buggers; most people don't, thinking them dirty. I have kept birds and worked with them- trust me, they're all dirty.
Anyway, this one was standing on the ground in the parking lot as I came out of work. I know the fabulous grackle mating dance happens in March-April, and I have no idea how long the eggs incubate, but I figure the tyke was a couple of months old. It was sort of fledged, in that it had grackle-colored feathers, but it was still a little scrawny and had no tail. It would have fit in the palm of my hand. It looked awfully hot... it's beak was open, in a 'I'm hot' look as opposed to a 'put food in me' gape. Though it probably wouldn't have minded a snack either.
In the hierarchy of animals that have adapted to city life, pigeons remind me of sheep or cows. They just look dumb. Grackles remind me more of coyotes- I know they'll eat anything (I saw one catch a beetle a few days ago) and they just have a more crafty (dare I say, wily) gleam in their eye.
Hell, who am I kidding. I just like 'em because they dress in black. :)
It was so hot today- even at 7:30pm. Weatherbug tells me it's still 97 degrees. I couldn't imagine living outside all day when it's like this. Talk about not fit for man nor beast. They seem to manage though; guess I'm just a wuss.
