Friday, June 7, 2013

Kamikazes

Since our move to the country I have so enjoyed the birds. Hearing them in the morning when we have the windows open. Being startled by the bright red of a cardinal in the winter gray trees.

Here's a twist.

Two mornings ago at barely light, a time I DO NOT wish to be awakened, I am startled by something hitting the window at my head. Repeatedly. To my amazement, there is a beautiful red cardinal....male...flying into the window, sitting on the fence post chirping away, flying into the window, hanging to the screen and pecking, hopping to the ground, and FLYING INTO THE WINDOW AGAIN. I am fearing self inflicted brain damage but after awhile decided it was too late. The poor thing already had a bit of a learning problem.

As the day continued, the poor little guy repeated all of this behavior but by dusk seemed to be done with it.

Until before 6 am the next morning. The whole thing started over. Needless to say that while I was chuckling about his bizarre behavior I was also a bit annoyed. Ask Cuddle Buns what happens if he happens to move in the bed during those early morning hours. It isn't pretty.

So while at breakfast with my good scrapping buddy LC who was visiting for the week, I decided to Google this behavior. Seems the male of the species makes it a habit. Only during nesting season. His objective? To scare the bird he sees in the reflection away from his beloved's nesting area. Now in this poor guy's defense, our windows do have that sunscreen film on them and from the outside it is like looking into a mirror. But at what point will he get the hint????

So. I thought about how I could deter this obviously challenged little guy and looked for suggestions. I decided against several ideas that were kind of time intensive on my part. (Did I mention I had a scrapbooking friend visiting and we had a scrapbooking convention to attend?) So I soaped the windows. Just the top because I was too lazy to take off the screen and what were the chances?

This morning before 6AM the little guy is grabbing onto the screen and pecking for dear life.

So I took the screens off. And got the Dove back out of the shower.





And now he is dive bombing the other set of bedroom windows. Not sure he'll be alive after tomorrow morning. Cute little thing.

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