On Sunday, we had a surprise. {Smile}
Dad and I were sitting in dining room near the end of
lunch when mom came in. She said she’d heard a strange noise, and when she
looked, it was a peacock. She led us to her bedroom window. Dad spotted the
bird just before it went out of view back by the old carport. I didn’t, so when
Dad went out back for a better look, I definitely followed. We found her behind
the woodshop and the patio. Yes, her; technically, she was a peahen, which is a
female peacock. {Smile}
She was wandering around, calling. A lot. I’ve heard
peacocks call before, but not as often as this one did. I thought maybe she was
looking for someone, like she was lost. Dad agreed.
He tried to get closer.
No problem. She let him get within six feet of her without showing fear.
So she was obviously used to people. Dad thought she must be someone’s
pet. {Smile}
We went inside, and Dad tried to figure out who to call.
After a few tries, he found someone who gave him the Humane Society’s
after-hours number. Unfortunately, that
rang busy repeatedly. {lop-sided smile}
Eventually, Dad
decided we really needed to get some milk, so he and I went to the store, and
picked up that and a couple of other things we were nearly out of. He figured
he could try again if the bird was still around when we got back.
She wasn’t. Mom said she left after a while; she thought
the bird must have gone home for dinner. The way she was calling, I wonder. I
honestly thought she was lost. Dad says at least she wasn’t our concern any
more. I have to agree, since I know nothing about caring for peahens. {spread
hands, Smile}
She hasn’t returned, either. I wish I knew she’d returned
home for a happy reunion, or at least found someone to take care of her. I
don’t. But I don’t know that she’s met a bad end, either. She spice up our
Sunday afternoon quite a bit with her visit. {SMILE}
Anne Elizabeth Baldwin
