Drat…..
The birds have returned in force now that the weather is nice, brought out by the promise of seed at the backyard feeders. Bustopher delights in sneaking outside and twinkle-toe-ing across the patio in an attempt to sneak up on them with a surprise attack; he flattens himself as low as he can go and sneaks over to the edge of the patio, waits for an opportune moment, usually when the birds backs are turned to him, and then he leaps off the patio wall, scattering all the birds with a chorus of angry and indignant squawks. He has never caught any this way, mostly I think he does it for sport.
Today he was watching at the patio door, waiting to run outside at the first moment to ‘play’ with the birds but among the feeder dwellers was a noisy and obnoxious Grackle (those are the ones with the iridescent blue heads) and as soon as Bustopher ran out the door and down the steps, that Grackle squawked, plain as day ‘CAT!!!! CAAAAT!!!’ and every bird within five feet of the house, not to mention the two squirrels that were hanging out, scattered like mad, flying to nearby trees or racing away across the lawn.
Poor Bustopher just stood there, his head down and ears flat, staring at the noisy Grackle who insisted upon staying in the hawthorn tree, reminding everyone nearby in a very loud voice that there was a “CAT!!” in the vicinity.
I haven’t a clue who appointed the Grackle the ‘watchbird’ of the yard, but as long as Bustopher stayed outside, that Grackle made sure everyone knew he was there.
He sure is a handsome boy!!!!