Eleven doves flew down from the trees to me when I emerged at seven o'clock this morning. As usual I crouched down to feed them bits of Colby cheese from my hands in the place where I always feed them. When they had consumed all of that and I reached into my pocket for an end-crust to break up for them, F1, as usual, hopped up to my left hand to get the biggest share by tearing bits off for herself.
BigFeet chose the crook of my elbow so that I would feed him individually, then he would not have to compete with the rest on the ground, but F1 objected by motioning at him with her beak, so he hopped down, then outwitted her by flying up to my shoulder from behind. She did not notice that, even when I held up bits of bread to him. So I had in my left ear the delicate sound of a dove eating, a dove on my left hand, doves all round me, even under me.
BigFeet is a clever bird, particularly considering that he was an egg only weeks ago, and was at first a rather shy chick. Now he can fend for himself with the eleven other birds. He is also one of the boldest, wont to charge into my office as soon as I open the outer door. And he is very reluctant to go out once in, ever looking up at me, hoping that I will weaken and feed him some grain, or, even better, some cheese. In the end, to get some work done I might have to pick him up and take him out bodily.
Even if I leave the door only slightly open he and others have found how to get in and out. They have lost their early fear of being trapped behind the door, and now some even have found that they can fly in my office, as well as into it and out of it.
This wonderful dove invasion gets ever more wonderfully invasive.
BigFeet chose the crook of my elbow so that I would feed him individually, then he would not have to compete with the rest on the ground, but F1 objected by motioning at him with her beak, so he hopped down, then outwitted her by flying up to my shoulder from behind. She did not notice that, even when I held up bits of bread to him. So I had in my left ear the delicate sound of a dove eating, a dove on my left hand, doves all round me, even under me.
BigFeet is a clever bird, particularly considering that he was an egg only weeks ago, and was at first a rather shy chick. Now he can fend for himself with the eleven other birds. He is also one of the boldest, wont to charge into my office as soon as I open the outer door. And he is very reluctant to go out once in, ever looking up at me, hoping that I will weaken and feed him some grain, or, even better, some cheese. In the end, to get some work done I might have to pick him up and take him out bodily.
Even if I leave the door only slightly open he and others have found how to get in and out. They have lost their early fear of being trapped behind the door, and now some even have found that they can fly in my office, as well as into it and out of it.
This wonderful dove invasion gets ever more wonderfully invasive.