Paging billytea, billytea to the avian courtesy phone please:
So, we had a grand, grand day. Glorious (if exhausting -- for me, anyway) hike up the rocky hill of this tiny park, where we had a picnic in a shady spot under one of the biggest rocks. We'd just settled in when a raptor census guy with California eBird came by with his high-powered telescope and binoculars to check for hawks and eagles -- apparently the 360 degree view from that particular spot lets him see most of the raptors and corvids in San Francisco, and it's also under a windstream ridden by the handful of golden and bald eagles that pass over our City on their way to forests and open lands to the south of us.
We didn't see any raptors, but Matilda and I did see at least half a dozen hummingbirds, including one all-green one and one with a bright ruby throat. Among them were three doing something I'd never seen -- hovering over a big open field entirely free of humans or dogs, they zipped straight up in the air like tiny helicopters, got so high they looked like smudgy dots, and then dropped in a deadfall from that incredible height almost to the ground, zipping away at the very last second to perch on a tree in bloom, sip some nectar, preen their tailfeathers, and helicopter up again.
Mating dance? Territorial deadfall battle? Doing crazy shit for the pure thrillseeking fun of it just because they can? Can I get a ruling?
In other news, the day included bunny pats and scritches, which were most satisfying, most satisfying indeed.
I've seen that behavior above my yard, it's thrilling! I tried to find out what that's all about and found differing explanations. Some people say it's a mating display, while others say it's a practical way for little birds to keep an eye on their big territory - one bird might claim a couple square miles and they can be pretty serious about driving off invading hummingbirds (although the invaders are pretty serious about sneaking in without being seen)
Heh. Radi-Aid [link] The bouncing radiator toward the end kills me.
JZ, it sounds like they've been watching the raptors.
Heh. The Giants (baseball) board is discussing the Giants DVD of their championship season and they've decided that Buster Posey is a Mary Sue.
Pretty anvilicious of him to hit a Grand fuckin' Slam against our most hated pitcher, Mat Latos, in the deciding game against the Reds. C'mon, now.
Pretty anvilicious of him to hit a Grand fuckin' Slam against our most hated pitcher, Mat Latos, in the deciding game against the Reds. C'mon, now.
That was excessive and gaudy. He probably batted his big Mary Sue violet eyes right before he did it.
::grumble::
Doing crazy shit for the pure thrillseeking fun of it just because they can?
I totally would.
Bunny pets are the best. Only think better is bunny licking your hand. I need to go pet a bunny soon. Bunnies are soft and delightful.
I totally would.
That's exactly what the gay couple next to me, up on the hilltop cooling down from their tennis game and agog at the hummingbirds, said!
That was excessive and gaudy. He probably batted his big Mary Sue violet eyes right before he did it.
Plus he's coming back from a career threatening injury? And his wife produces cute twin daughters in the offseason?
Then in the sequel our scrappy second basemen gets taken out on a late slide by the hulking evil brute (Matt Holliday), and then gets the go-ahead hit which said evil brute misplays for an error?
THEN
Our Scrappy Second basemen catches the last out of the game in the obviously cinematic rain? Like, we haven't seen Shawshank Redemption before? C'mon Giants. You're better than that.
Not to mention the crazy reversed redemption stories for Lincecum/Zito, Panda and the recurring Mat (Latos), Matt (Holliday), Matt (Cain) motif.
Raining anvils, baby.
Bunny pets are the best. Only think better is bunny licking your hand. I need to go pet a bunny soon. Bunnies are soft and delightful.
Come visit! You know Cricket fosters them and has several of her own, right? She's currently up to 7.
