Driving back from Trader Joe’s after a downpour, I saw a large bird perched on a rickety chicken wire fence post. I was driving slowly because it was one of those back streets with road bumps. It borders a residential area but the street itself doesn’t lend itself to pedestrian traffic, so why the bumps? Nevertheless, I was driving slow enough to take in the rays of sun streaking through fast moving gray clouds causing the pavement to glisten, when I noticed the bird. I slowed down to almost a stop. He looked like the Maltese Falcon in that old movie, huge and very sure of himself. But this bird was alive and plumed a beautiful auburn. I looked up images on line when I got home. It turns out he was a red shouldered hawk.
Driving home from the airport as I slowed to stop at a red light, I spied a giant bird atop a concrete post bordering the semi-circular driveway of a very impressive home. It was dusk, providing that illusional or delusional light source. I had to do a double take. It’s not unusual to see snowy egrets in the area, although I can’t really say I’ve ever seen one perched on top of a post. This bird was about the size of an egret, and was snowy white, but it was no egret. It was a peacock, a solid white peacock. I’d never seen one before. I’d never heard of such a thing. I went home and Googled it. They exist.
One pleasant sunny day, while sitting on the back patio my husband whispered “Hey, look!” A blue heron alit on the roof of the house behind us, then jumped on the wall between our two homes. Like snowy egrets, heron aren’t that unusual in the area. They are however, not often spotted in your back yard. He stood there perusing the area long enough for me to get my camera. I managed a blurry picture or two before our dog chased him away.
When I come back from Trader Joe’s I always scan the fence. When I pass by the impressive home, I look on the posts at the end of the driveway. Now and then I look around at the trees and roofs surrounding our backyard. I know they won’t be there, but I look anyway.
I do a weekly birdwalk with a group that started thirty years ago. They have been collecting scientific data about the birds on CalTech’s campus. They take the same route and go out at the same time of the day. In thirty years, they have not seen an owl. I always look in the kinds of trees that I believe owls like. Although, I also have not seen an owl on campus, I am sure I will someday, because I think if you don’t look you certainly won’t see one.