There’s a fight brewing in my front yard. Since I rely on antenna TV without the hope of pay-per-view boxing events, I don’t mind a scuffle taking place in my front yard. At least I have a ringside seat.
Here’s the proof. I took the photo earlier this week at my bird feeding site. As usual, the mule deer have stumbled across the spot where the pheasants, grouse and other birds scratch for a ground-based meal. It’s a given that regardless where I put birdseed out that the magpies will find it, but the mule deer invasion means that a handful of feed disappears in a matter of minutes, not hours.
If a scrap breaks out I'm betting on the pheasant.
Interestingly enough, the three animals sharing the meal did get along quite well. Each gave the other some breathing space and all got a nibble, which is my intention. I never intend to outright feed the neighborhood, just provide a boost to my feathered friends. Fortunately the weather has been favorable and that keeps the mule deer on a rotational feeding pattern with only a visit to my yard every few days.
Yes, I’m betting on the pheasant if a scrap breaks out. They have spurs, an ancestral link to fighting chickens and I believe the term “cocky” fits them like a glove.
Mark Kayser
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