Not only did I find a teenage chicken in my aunt's vegetable garden this morning, but tonight I had a close encounter with two peahens. I felt like I was back on my childhood farm in the Dakotas.
In case I haven't mentioned it, my aunt has chickens. The spring hatchlings are getting big and restless and occasionally fly the coup, or somehow manage to get over a very tall fence. I did not know how to get the chicken back in the yard so I scooped out a handful of grain and put it where I thought the chicken would find it. Pears on the ground would be a delicious way to wash down the grain in the gullet.
This evening I was at cousin D's. I like to work there sometimes after dinner because there are peacocks in the area and I hear their alarm calls which they sound in the evening, high pitched and haunting, but yet, comfortingly familiar. I assume they are caged most of the time. There are also wild turkeys in the area that wander over off the golf course, so when I saw two dark shapes approaching, I figured it was the turkeys. The birds came alarming close--I think I was attacked once as a child by a domestic turkey. I had a a brief reactionary moment, but quickly recognized them as friendly peahens. I wanted so much to toss them a piece of Mom's chocolate cake, which our peacocks back in the 50's and 60's loved. All I could find was a cherry tomato. They took one peck and walked away, even when I squished one open.
I didn't have my camera with me today and could not document this encounter.
A peacock spreading his gorgeous tail feathers would be a lovely addition to any garden, but two gray peahens and a squawky white chicken, not so much.
I used to do a good imitation of the peacock's call and was challenged to do so once in the late 80's while riding in a limo in the streets of downtown Chicago after a Blackhawks game. I stuck my head out the sun roof of the stretch and screamed out the notes of the call. I think it goes high g, a, f--but perhaps I am remembering wrong!
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