Springtime
in the Ouachitas is a welcomed interlude between power-line breaking ice and
fried eggs on the pavement heat. We begin looking out our windows for glimpses
of life, in the form of colorful birds at the feeder, or scurrying little
critters sunning on the patio. Many of us break out the cane poles, attach a
bobber, and pick a spot on the creek bank, on a quest for the catch of the day.
Yes,
in this neck of the woods, we love all manner of wildlife. Some enjoy the
thrill of the hunt, while others take a more relaxed, observatory approach.
That is, as long as the little fellers stay in their proper places.
Like many of my
neighbors, I have a bird feeder in the back yard, and welcome many visitors
with blocks of peanut butter and suet, and yummy thistle and sunflower seeds.
I’ve watched a cardinal couple bring
their fledglings for a treat before venturing out into the wild. Red-wing
blackbirds, yellow finches, and bluebirds add more color, and there’s a very
handsome woodpecker who occasionally stops by.
When it’s time to build
a nest, winged parents will go to great lengths to find the best spot to raise
their brood. My mother has had the pleasure of watching a wren and her
offspring in a window mounted flower box. Literally a bird’s eye view of a real
life family drama.
A friend of mine had a
surprise once when she opened her gas grill for a barbecue and found a nest full
of little chirpers. Needless to say, outdoor cooking was delayed until that
family was ready to move along, and a new device was purchased.
Springtime starts our
motors running in earnest. I can remember cool mornings on the water with my
step-dad, searching the trot-lines he had placed in hopes of a catfish feast.
Sometimes, though, we would find the catfish partially eaten, and the
perpetrator, an alligator gar, snared on the line. What happened to those ugly fish was
certainly not pretty, as this usually jovial man did not treat them very
charitably. I often told him that I hoped there was no such thing as
re-incarnation, because he was bound to return as a gar, and suffer the same
maltreatment from another fisherman.
Meanwhile, back in the
back yard: squirrels often demonstrate their acrobatic ability when attempting
to rob a bird feeder. They will stretch or jump from a nearby fence, hang
upside down, and in general do whatever it takes to get ahold of the tasty
morsels we intended for someone else. The same man who hated alligator gars
loved watching squirrels, and even created special corn-cob holders which
provided a place for the furry rodents to enjoy a feast. However, if they
weren’t satisfied with their own food and coveted the bird seed, the gauntlet
was tossed. My step dad devised a rope and pulley system which he could operate
from inside the house. He would wait until the squirrel reached just the right
position, and then . . . Whoops! Sorry,
Charlie. Down the thief would go. Score update: enterprising man one, squirrel
nothing.
Longtime friends of
ours have a wonderful back yard with a spreading oak tree that seems to have
attracted a colony of chipmunks. The animals constructed an elaborate village
under the wooden deck, and used the privacy fence as their own superhighway,
scurrying happily around, and surviving all sorts of eradication methods. These
kind hearted folks learned to tolerate Alvin and his friends, as long as they
stayed outside.
On one particular
occasion, desperate measures became necessary when one of the little stripers
ventured in through an open door and made his way to the master bathroom. The
lady of the house recounts that her brave protector armed himself with a two by
four and a plastic shopping bag and waited patiently for the animal to “become
confident” and emerge from his hiding spot behind the commode. Then, using his
best “Little Bunny Foo-Foo” method, the eradicator “bopped him on the head”.
The plastic sack was then utilized to move the very still furry body to the
dumpster. The next day, the victorious chipmunk hunter heard scratching noises
coming from the dumpster and discovered that the creature had survived his
ordeal. So, believing it only right that he concede and allow a reprieve, the
man transported the chipmunk to a nearby creek bank for release. It is hoped
that in the future, the chipmunk
population will recognize the chivalry of this action, and properly observe
their outdoor boundaries.
Happy
Spring to all creatures, great and small!
