10 January 2009

Roadrunner Seeks Wife: Has Three Houses

On my walk today, I snapped this pic of my favorite little birdhouse, which I found at a craft show in Missouri. I put it up in early summer 2008 and several little birds were checking it out, but then vanished.



This was soon explained when I noticed the male roadrunner was constructing a huge nest in the tree above where I had hung the little birdhouse. No (smart) little bird builds a house just below a fast, wily predator...



Ricky the roadrunner spent time sitting on this next during the summer, but no lady-friend ever appeared. Ricky also built nests (or were they hunting blinds?) in the big pine out back AND the top utility shelf in the garage (via the doggie door) incorporating the business end of the electric chainsaw on that shelf into the twigs of the nest! So it seems he's still single. But hopeful.

5 comments:

Morning Glories in Round Rock said...

Poor Ricky--maybe he needs to send off to Texas for a mail-order bride!

beckie said...

I've been wondering about you and hoping you were just busy and hadn't given up on blogging. How great to have a resident roadrunner, even if he is single. Maybe this spring he will find a mate and you will have litte ones.

A Larrapin Garden said...

Yes! We've worried that Ricky does not seem to be successful in attracting a lady friend. Probably b/c he spends too much time flirting with (and generally torturing) our dachshunds! It is a treat to have a roadrunner around (if you are aware of their predatory nature for small critters...) and watch their amazing habits. It's no wonder they inspired a cartoon character!

A Larrapin Garden said...

Thanks for the kind words Beckie! I did get distracted from blogging with a zillion other projects. But I missed blogging here b/c it makes me take the time to go out, look around and take pics. Otherwise, I'm too focused on all the to-do lists! :-) Thanks for visiting!

Anonymous said...

Maybe the ladies think Ricky is a player with 3 nests and all?