Coming back from my long-term pet-sitting duties last night, I was traveling down a twisty road. Yes, I know they are twisty around here, but I'm just trying to set the scene. It is a narrow, tree lined road, with just a few gaps in the tree limbs where one can glimpse the sky every now and then. Through one of those gaps, I saw a large bird flying just over the tree tops and criss-crossing the road. At first I thought it must be a raven, but the shape seemed odd. However, it was dusk and telling what was bird and what was tree limbs was difficult.
The bird kept criss-crossing the road (or probably more accurately, the road criss-crossed the bird's path. After a few more moments, I realized it was some sort of heron. I was rapidly coming to the point where the road I was traveling met 149, and I knew a moment of dissappointment. I was dissappointed because I knew the heron would be heading toward the swamp to the south - and I would be heading north on 149 (still had more pets to take care of). When I came around the last corner, just before the road met 149, I was amazed to see the heron landing in someone's dirt driveway. I stopped and took a good look and found that I was looking at a Little Blue Heron. I have seen several Great Blue Herons, but never a Little Blue, or at least not that I could get a good enough look to make a possitive identification. Just too cool!
I have been taking care of Mocha, the Lab, and her sheep. It is dark in the morning when I get there, so I take a flashlight to see my way up the road, as I am taking Mocha for a walk (where she grabs onto the leash and walks herself as long as I accompany her - the typical Lab, she's gotta have something in her mouth). I also need the flashlight to see my way to the barn. I let Mocha come to the barn with me this morning, to give the sheep their hay and water, and check to make sure everyone is okay. When I turned out the barn lights, Mocha was acting strangly, looking at me expectantly.
I suddenly realized what she wanted. Ed, one of her humans, had shown me a trick she performed several years ago. She will carry a flashlight for you. So I offered the flashlight, and she took off down the path to the house, tail wagging and as happy as could be.
Speaking of Mocha and her sheep, I discovered her humans have recently gotten some chickens. They have several small sheds by the barn, that have always been used for storage (but obviously at some point had held chickens and/or turkeys by the way the windows are chicken-wired on the inside). Thursday night, when I took care of everyone for the first time, I thought I heard a thump from that direction, but after standing and listening, I decided it must have been a tree limb falling on the ground.
Yesterday morning, I found out differently; a rooster's crowing about scared the crap out of me as I was exiting the sheep barn. Imagine, coming out of a barn, in the dark, with everything quite - then from 10 fet away a rooster's full-tilt crow suddenly blaring! So, I went to check, and sure enough there were several chicken heads pearing out of the window.
I went in and discovered that Deb (another of Mocha's humans) had obviously thought she left them with enough food and water, so she needn't tell me about them. However, the chickens being, well, bird-brained, had wreaked havok with the feeding and watering mechanisms. I got everything straitened out (with the chickens frantically running around me), gave them more food and water (after searching for the feed for a while) and everyone settled down.
So I've had COOL and FUNNY happen while while I have been pet-sitting the last couple of days. Can't complain about that.
Since chickens are infamous for what they do in their water, I can't imagine that Deb actually thought that the chickens were set for the duration. But, it might be worse if I accused her of "forgetting", huh? Anyway, the rooster did his part by letting you know that the chicken coop was occupied. I'm sure that Deb will be happy that you did (more than) your part!
Posted by: Cop Car | October 23, 2004 at 02:40 PM
The watering system was such that they really couldn't do anything in their water, but they could certaily tip it over so it drained all the water out.
They obviously haven't had the chickens long (it's been about a month since I last took care of their animals), but this is the time of year I take care of their animals the most - so she might have thought I had already been there since they got the chickens. Who knows?
Anyway, everything turned out fine, and that is the most important part!
Posted by: bogie | October 24, 2004 at 06:27 AM
Glad that it did turn out well. BTW: You need to 'splain to Buffy about the term "spring chicken". This comes to mind because your client is rather late in getting chickens in--but--I assume that her chickens are not biddies. We always got our biddies in March, as I recall.
Posted by: Cop Car | October 26, 2004 at 04:03 PM
If I had a clue what a biddie was, I would be happy to explain it. If it means a "Layer", then I can't say definitely one way or the other. I know the food I found and gave to them was for layers.
They could very well have taken someone else's chickens for all I know. Or, as tehy do the sheep, they might be raising chickens for slaughter. It's hard to tell with these people (and I don't actually talk to them very often).
Posted by: bogie | October 27, 2004 at 04:25 AM