Tennessee Valley
Red-winged Blackbird
Yesterday, I went with some out-of-town guests to Tennessee Valley in Marin County for an easy hike. Near the beach my friends decided to climb a steep ridge to an observation point. I’ve been having an ankle problem, so I told them I’d wait for them at a bench just off the main trail. While biding my time, I took the photo at the top. A few moments later, I spotted a low-flying red-winged blackbird soaring down the trail toward me. The red-winged blackbird is one of my favorite species of bird, so I followed his course. A very strange thing happened. He kept heading my way until he was hovering right beside me. Then he landed on the back of the bench. I reached into the bag I was holding and offered him a piece of bread, which he took. He flew away and returned a few minutes later to ask for more. He took it without fear, right from my fingertips. I managed to get this shaky photo of him eating. I think he must have spotted the bread from the distance. I’ve seen this kind of behavior in urban blackbirds, but never out in the countryside. They’re training the hikers now.
May 4, 2009 at 3:39 am |
I like the title. Actually I’ve wondered many times if birds of different species “talk” to each other, just chewing the fat, passing the time of day–or if their communication is always aggressive, about territory and hunting rights.
May 4, 2009 at 5:55 am
They tweet each other a lot.