Daily Archives: June 1, 2009

The Neighbors

Yesterday morning, before a huge thunderstorm, I ran into a nature guide and 20 willing students while walking Zoe.  I’d been looking at the nature preserve through binoculars and knew a solitary Greater Sandhill Crane was feeding on the site.  I mentioned the bird’s location to the guide and participants and let it slip that “Han” was out there.

Han Solo

Han Solo

Sandhills pair up at age two and mate for life.  This bird is alone, and picked on by the little blackbirds, who peck at him.  We nicknamed him Han Solo.

The barn swallows are another story, nesting in our dryer vent and their bathroom habits are far from neat.  They’ve taken over the latest Olympic venue.  You won’t see Michael Phelps here, but this is what the barn swallows are protecting now, and heaven forbid a human walk anywhere near, even though it’s adjacent to the driveway:

Olympic Lap Pool, Park City

Olympic Lap Pool, Park City

So these are some of the avian neighbors.  The geese seem to have mostly found their way back home to Canada.  Cheers! Dee