Time Out

He sits high on the top budding branches of the rose arbor reviewing his domain. The rain is steady but not heavy forcing him to shake his head and then his tail in spasmodic determination sending drops into the air. He cannot leave his watch post in any weather for it is now spring.  This is his new mockingbird territory which he found and claimed at the end of last fall and he has held it steady through the winter since then.

But this month the bluebird has returned to inspect the house he used last year.  The chickadee has returned to review the inside of the small green birdhouse beneath the devils walking stick where he fed his young last year.  Various cardinals also decorate the fence with red showiness near the strawberry patch and near the trees where they had nested.  They all wait and watch the mockingbird and seem just a little tense.

This mockingbird is larger and more determined than all the others giving all the others pause as they wait nearby.  His territory is too large.  There are at least four birdhouses within his range.

I remember a battle once long ago in another yard between a mockingbird and a blue bird.  I had to go outside and actually throw rocks at the  mockingbird every time he dived at the bluebird.  I would wait until the mockingbird rested on the roof of my house and then pelt him with a rock.  I am not an accurate thrower, never really hit the dignified gray bird, and probably did more damage to my roof, but I eventually got the message across.   I left the mockingbird alone when he left the bluebird alone.  This method worked after a few days.  They ended up summering together in the my yard.

I hope I am not going to have to be the referee again?