Thursday, January 10, 2008

What Bird Is That?

Wait!

Don't scroll down past the first pic or you'll ruin your puzzler!



What bird is that high in the Live Oak that towers over my house?


See it?




Roughly in the center, near a patch of light.










Is that your final answer?






Scroll down for verification, validation, and illumination.





















Yes, it's the Lord Of The Rings chick, Gwahir, all grown up. You may remember him from previous posts about the chicks in the living room and the dog surfing incident.

When I let the 5 banties out to freerange, they always show up to roost on the porch at sunset.
Once it's dark, I pick them up, one by one and put them back in the chicken tractor pens.

Last weekend, Gwahir did not show up at sundown and I feared that the tamest rooster we've ever raised had been taken by a predator that day.

The next morning I could hear crowing coming from the front yard, but from my own perch on the porch, I could not see the rooster.
It seemed to be coming from above.

When I stepped off the porch and looked up, there he was, a tiny speck high in the Live Oak. (The second pic is maximum zoom with distant fill flash, and it was cropped)

My LOTR experts (Junior and Emma) tell me that such a lofty perch is appropriate for a rooster named after Gwahir, Lord of the Eagles.

I wasn't around when Gwahir soared down from the tree top, but somehow I think it probably was not as graceful as his namesake.

13 comments:

robin andrea said...

Gwahir really does look quite elegant on his lofty perch. Don't tell him that his name means Lord of the Eagles, though, it might go to his very little head.

Anonymous said...

I just hope some real eagle does not Lord it over him and carry him away.

Anonymous said...

Wow. I never could find him in the first photo, but that's amazing! I've never seen a chicken (pardon me, I mean rooster) perched any higher than about ten or twelve feet. Maybe he doesn't KNOW he's not an eagle???

Okay, it's early here...that's all I could come up with! :)

Sharon said...

Yay! I was right :)

Leslie said...

There's no rooster in the first photo. You tricked us. That's my final answer.

threecollie said...

Ha, you had me there

Anonymous said...

I thought chickens couldn't fly. Something about weight to wing ratio or such. Didn't anyone tell your rooster this?

Anonymous said...

Only you would be lucky enough to have this handsome fellow take to the air and perch in your tree. Can pigs fly?

Deb said...

I never found him (her?) in the first photo. I just cannot imagine a chicken attaining such lofty heights. I agree, the descent to earth was probably less than graceful. I've seen a wild turkey coming down from its roost, and it was not graceful. :)

R.Powers said...

Robin,
Apparently it already has!
:)

Cathy S,
I was afraid that had happened in some form or another until I heard him crow from above that morning.

Kimberlee,
It's possible he stairstepped up from porch, to roof, to overhanging branches.

Sharon,
Excellent chicken spotting!

Leslie, I swear it is! Same bird, same perch. One shot immediately after the other.

3C,
If it had been a cow, you would have gotten it right away ;)

Pablo,
Banties never got that memo. They are pretty good flyers.

Vicki,
The pig is young and hasn't mastered flight yet. We look forward to her first flight, right after teachers are paid a living wage.

Deb,
Admittedly, the first photo is not a beautiful pic. It was an overcast morning with the sun behind the tree so it's pretty dark.
Speaking of turkey flight, I watched one flap across the road last week ABOVE the 20 year old pine trees on either side of the road.
I was flabbergasted.

Alan said...

Everybody sing along:

There are chickens in the trees,
There are chickens in the trees,
Won't you listen to me please?
There are chickens in the trees.

Ah, Sesame Street. :)

LindaD said...

LOL - How wonderful. I love chickens, especially beautiful roosters with quirky attitudes. What do you think he had in mind roosting about it all?

R.Powers said...

Alan,
I loved Sesame Street for the muppets.

Lindad,
Welcome to Pure Florida!
I think it was escape and evasion. Once before during a 'possum attack on the flock, one of the banties landed on my high roof peak.
I'm thinking something chased him upwards!