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BY JOHN KARRIGAN
My promoting last month of the complete
lunar eclipse early on August 28 didn't do any good. It was one
of several very stormy, cloudy nights lately. Oh, well, there is
another eclipse in February 2008 that I will try to remember to
write about.
Another item I mentioned last month,
the family feeding frenzy of Cooper's Hawks, has either slowed down
or stopped. At least one or more of the hawks is still in the park
area but the young hawks have apparently learned the lessons and
gone off on their own, as they are supposed to do. They were still
active during the art fair and I saw one make a pass at the Great
Blue Heron. He or she had not yet learned the principle of chasing
birds much smaller, not much larger, than yourself.
No birds were harmed in the incident.
The ducks are progressing normally
and the extended Canada Goose family returns every few days. Ring-billed
Gulls are now flying over the lake regularly but I have not seen
them stop, as they will start doing later in the season. The afore-mentioned
Great Blue Heron is around the lake almost every day.
Chimney Swifts are still over the lake often. Common Night Hawks
were in the neighborhood early in the month but I think they were
just passing through on their usual early (compared to many birds)
migration.
The small bird situation is sparse,
as usual, this summer, but I have seen Kingbirds, Phoebes, Chipping
Sparrows, Goldfinches and occasionally a Downey or Hairy Woodpecker
in August.
I have reports from two people
that the white domestic duck that was abandoned in the park this
spring did not meet a terrible fate but was captured and redomesticated
by some concerned neighbors and duck rescue people. I don't have
the details of when, how or who was involved and am trying to learn
more. I would appreciate it if the nice people involved would contact
me.
I suppose many people noticed the
large damaged Silver Maple tree on the south side of the lake. About
one-third of the tree was lost on August 12, through either wind
or lightning damage, and all but the stump was removed on August
16. As usual I would like to have seen the remaining two-thirds
of the tree left for birds, mammals, people, etc., but the park
board does not see it that way. Also, I have found more Elm trees
marked for removal in the northwest corner of the park. The elm
removal plan must be way behind this year. They have not been back
for the three more marked trees on my block since before July 4
and I see many more marked all over the city.
Butterflies in the park (and yard)
have been OK but not nearly as many in number or variety as last
year. However, the dragonfly numbers and variety were great, at
least until the rains came. I have learned that the book I need
to identify dragonflies is an out-of-print, self-published book,
"The Dragonflies of Wisconsin," which I am looking for.
The Yard
I have good, bad and normal news from the yard. Some of the news
is that an immature Oriole made at least one more short appearance
on August 10. A neighbor three houses away (with a fantastic yard)
has also seen Orioles.
More good news is a Ruby-throated Hummingbird made a very brief
visit on August 24 to the Cardinal Flowers in the rain garden. As
in other years, the hummingbird visits are short and the birds so
small I sort of assume that there are multiple visits every August
and September but I only luck into seeing a few of them.
As happened last August, an immature but full grown Mourning Dove
again visited the yard. The young birds look almost like mature
birds, with some breast color differences. They display no fear
(or common sense?) and can be approached, and approach people within
a couple of feet.
The rest of the usual suspects continue to come to the yard.
The Big Finale
Rocky Raccoon, Jr., and sometimes his brother George, come through
the yard every few nights. Of course, I don't really have any idea
what sex either of the young raccoons is.
One morning (August 14 at 1:50 a.m.) I went out to talk to him as
he was eating birdseed on the patio. He didn't run away but ambled
off about 10 feet to the bottom of a tree. I was standing by the
birdseed and started calling him back. He actually came back. On
his way back, he stopped and stared into the neighbor's yard behind
me several times. I thought he might be looking into the other yard
for his mother or brother, for advice or reinforcement, but I did
not see or hear anything. He came right back to my feet and continued
eating birdseed. I thought of reaching down and trying to pet him
but I reconsidered. I was only wearing shorts and thongs. (That
is, thong sandals, not thong underwear. I do sometimes wear women's
undergarments, but that has nothing to do with my nature writing.)
Anyway, I figured he might try to bite my legs, feet or hands, or
his mother might attack me from behind if I touched him, so for
once I used good sense. After a couple of minutes, he walked to
the birdbath and stood up to it, I stood on the other side and told
him to be careful with the bird bath because it has been damaged,
probably by raccoons, a couple of times this summer. He continued
on to the other side of the yard, climbed the fence and left quietly.
Nine days (or nights) later, he and his brother were both eating
birdseed and I went out again. Neither would come when I called,
but they did not run away, just ambled away. I am fairly sure they
have made other trips through the yard since then and I am hoping
to continue my befriending project.
The Denouement
Now for my bad backyard experience, but it doesn't involve birds
or animals, just low-life, rotten, anti-social scumbags.
On the night of August 27, one or more miscreants stole the 10-year-old
small fountain out of the birdbath. It wasn't fancy, wasn't worth
much to anyone else, but the birds and I loved it. It will be fairly
expensive to replace, and then when replaced, will it last one week
or 10 years before another creep comes along and takes it. As the
late Kurt Vonnegut Jr. said, "And so it goes."
Comments and observations are always welcome. Send them to me, in
care of the Southside Pride.
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