On the (formerly) domesticated side we have Peacocks (or peahen). Then there are the hundreds of now-wild parrots from formally domesticated birds let loose. They co-mingle with the Ibis who hunt for bugs in the yards in packs of 12 or the pairs of heron that fly from lake to pond each morning and night.
Neighborhood was a large orange grove back in the 1920's up to the 50's. Peacocks were used to act as theft alarm. If you have ever heard one peacock scream then imagine 20 and 30 of them at one time. The groves are long gone but the wild population remains.
Hunter Thompson used to have a couple of them in Aspen. He was a genius writer and a fun human, but he must have been a nightmare neighbor.
Saw peacocks in the wild in Rajasthan, even one flying off a ruin into the valley below. Suddenly they seemed to make more evolutionary sense. Not a lot more but still.
On the (formerly) domesticated side we have Peacocks (or peahen). Then there are the hundreds of now-wild parrots from formally domesticated birds let loose. They co-mingle with the Ibis who hunt for bugs in the yards in packs of 12 or the pairs of heron that fly from lake to pond each morning and night.
Neighborhood was a large orange grove back in the 1920's up to the 50's. Peacocks were used to act as theft alarm. If you have ever heard one peacock scream then imagine 20 and 30 of them at one time. The groves are long gone but the wild population remains.
Hunter Thompson used to have a couple of them in Aspen. He was a genius writer and a fun human, but he must have been a nightmare neighbor.
On the (formerly) domesticated side we have Peacocks (or peahen). Then there are the hundreds of now-wild parrots from formally domesticated birds let loose. They co-mingle with the Ibis who hunt for bugs in the yards in packs of 12 or the pairs of heron that fly from lake to pond each morning and night.
Neighborhood was a large orange grove back in the 1920's up to the 50's. Peacocks were used to act as theft alarm. If you have ever heard one peacock scream then imagine 20 and 30 of them at one time. The groves are long gone but the wild population remains.
We are blessed with all sorts of birds on our six acres. Just took the dogs out for their morning walk and bumped into our favorite birds the lovely elusive Red Capped parrots. They were having an argument with some very noisy Rainbow Lorikeets over who owned an olive tree. As usual the Rainbows won out.
Wow, those are beauties.Of course, so are the Rainbow Lories
We are blessed with all sorts of birds on our six acres.
Just took the dogs out for their morning walk and bumped into our favorite birds the lovely elusive Red Capped parrots.
They were having an argument with some very noisy Rainbow Lorikeets over who owned an olive tree.
As usual the Rainbows won out.
You have to wonder how effective peacocks would be as Guardians of Fruit. The kookiest use of an animal in work that I've heard of was from Berkeley CA. The citizens were not keen on using German shepherds for crowd control as the police wanted. The town voted to use golden retrievers.
Lick the crowd into submission. That's a good boy.
Now imagine that call multiplied by 20 -30. Way back in the 30's and 40's, the orange growers in our part of Champa Town brought in peacocks as an alarm system to fruit thieves. Fast forward 60 years and the groves are now neighborhoods but the peacocks have lived on. We consider them somewhat sacred but they are messy and loud and really stop traffic when 5 or 6 guys in heat decide to cross the road.
You have to wonder how effective peacocks would be as Guardians of Fruit. The kookiest use of an animal in work that I've heard of was from Berkeley CA. The citizens were not keen on using German shepherds for crowd control as the police wanted. The town voted to use golden retrievers.
Someoneâs peacock is loose again cause I can hear itâs calls.
Now imagine that call multiplied by 20 -30. Way back in the 30's and 40's, the orange growers in our part of Champa Town brought in peacocks as an alarm system to fruit thieves. Fast forward 60 years and the groves are now neighborhoods but the peacocks have lived on. We consider them somewhat sacred but they are messy and loud and really stop traffic when 5 or 6 guys in heat decide to cross the road.
Location: On the edge of tomorrow looking back at yesterday. Gender:
Posted:
May 9, 2021 - 7:35pm
kcar wrote:
"Yup thought I was in India and was looking around for a Bengal ready to make me his snack."
Must be somebody's escaped pet. I can't imagine how a peacock could survive a MA winter in the wild.
"And Wayland Park use to rule."
Are you thinking of Whalom Park("For a whale of a good time!")? That was in Lunenberg. Every other year or so while I was playing with other kids in the street different groups of twenty-somethings would pull up in beat-up sedans and ask us for directions to "Wayland Pahk." They were clearly from closer in to Boston. I had to keep telling them it was "Whalom" and it was in Lunenberg. I had no idea where that was and neither did the carloads. (Google says it's 33 miles to the north and west of Wayland, so it might be near you).
Yup you are correct sir! My memory isnât as good as it used to be. And if Iâm correct itâs a gated community or something now. Went there for senior week from high school.
Aaaah the good old days.
Yup thought I was in India and was looking around for a Bengal ready to make me his snack. Up in Newfound Lake NH the cry of the loons abound. Both 2 leg and flying type.
And north of Wayland near Lowell. And Wayland Park use to rule.
"Yup thought I was in India and was looking around for a Bengal ready to make me his snack."
Must be somebody's escaped pet. I can't imagine how a peacock could survive a MA winter in the wild.
"And Wayland Park use to rule."
Are you thinking of Whalom Park ("For a whale of a good time!")? That was in Lunenberg. Every other year or so while I was playing with other kids in the street different groups of twenty-somethings would pull up in beat-up sedans and ask us for directions to "Wayland Pahk." They were clearly from closer in to Boston. I had to keep telling them it was "Whalom" and it was in Lunenberg. I had no idea where that was and neither did the carloads. (Google says it's 33 miles to the north and west of Wayland, so it might be near you).
Location: On the edge of tomorrow looking back at yesterday. Gender:
Posted:
May 9, 2021 - 11:26am
kcar wrote:
They have a really weird cry. Not as weird as a loon though. When I hear a loon I know I'm in the sticks.
Where do live in MA if you don't mind my asking? You don't have to give a town name if you want to keep that off the Internet. I grew up in Wayland.
Yup thought I was in India and was looking around for a Bengal ready to make me his snack.
Up in Newfound Lake NH the cry of the loons abound. Both 2 leg and flying type.
And north of Wayland near Lowell. And Wayland Park use to rule.
If by "backyard" it means more figuratively, we have Harlequin Ducks up in one section of rapids in Yellowstone. And "Least Concern," so not very exotic, but they're super fun to watch. (NPS Photo)
To say the weather has been ideal for plant life around here is an understatement. 
Lick the crowd into submission. That's a good boy.
