Birds

Birds here have been going a little nuts (berries). Robins, Cedar Waxwings, and other related species flew into and out of a berry bush the backyard this last week. Now they are doing the same with the crab apple in the front yard.

They have lost their usual flight skills and pathways. Sitting under the awning of a deck swing set is not safe. The bird’s flight controller has called in sick. Multiple birds try landing at the same place and time. Life on the swing is particularly serious as they lean in all directions, with no flight plans filed, just “Yee-Haw! Off we go!” No time to pull-up, so through the swing set they go.

Talking in the driveway is an exercise calling for hazardous-conditions pay. Apparently, flying between conversation partners is good fun when you’re a bit loopy from over-ripe berries and fruit.

In theory, this frantic behavior will have some benefit from a coming migration. For now, the birds make for enjoyable physical comedy.

Well, except for the dozen or so who hit the house and windows. They disregard such limits in the same fashion as other bird brains dismiss how viruses work. Unless the neighborhood feral cat has gotten a casualty or two, I only know of one fatality.

A wing and a prayer is as fragile an analysis and strategic plan as is available. It is a very fine line between loopy and dead.