(no subject)
So...Story time!
Yesterday, I was heading out to the ol' rabbit hutch to see my favorite cuddle bunny and refill his food, when I nearly tripped over the carcass of a large, recently deceased bird lying on it's stomach, so I couldn't really identify it. It was 3 feet outside of this old dog yard that the hutch is at the back of. I gasped and jumped backwards a few feet, then walked around the thing to finish my rabbit feeding chore.
So, when I went inside, I told my parents "there's a dead partridge out by the dog yard." Ok, so there are no partridges in Vermont, so sue me. The bird resembled one that I had accidentally killed by chasing it into a window 3 years ago, and I always called that bird a partridge. It was probably a grouse. But that's another story all together.
Anyway, my parents automatically started asking stupid parent questions, like "You didn't touch it, did you?" or "Dead? Are you sure?"
Cut to me saying "Yes, I have the common sense to not touch a bird that has died under mysterious circumstances. I have no desire to contract West Nile Virus." So we all went outside to look at the thing, and we decided we should contact the Vermont Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, in case they want to inspect the body. I tried calling, but they close at 4:00. What an odd time to close.
Now I head out to the carcass with a large plastic bag that's inverted so I can pick the thing up and get it out of dog reach without having to touch it. I turn it over just to inspect it further and...dun dun duuuuuun...It's a hawk. or falcon. whatever, it's a freakin' awesome bird of prey. The little tom-boy inside of me says "Ooo! Goody goody! A hawk carcass! Look at that pointy beak!"
So, I wrap the thing up, put it in the freezer, and write down the number for the fish and game dept. so that I can call them when they're open.
Later, my dad and I were talking, and out of the blue I say, "I think the bird's neck is broken. It was lolling way to one side when I picked it up." He agrees that he thought the same thing when he first saw the bird. I also remember that I saw blood on the inside of the bag (a very small amount) when I picked the thing up. Dad states theory that the bird was hunting Elwood, but I respond that I found the body outside of the dog yard, 5 yards from the hutch.
So, today I had the brilliant idea that the bird ran into the fence around the dog yard, as difficult as that is to manage, since the wires are spaced at least two inches apart all around the fence, and the bird would've had to have swooped at Elwood in a very horizontal manor. Though given that a hutch roof hides Elwood from above, it could be that the bird was down low anyway (in order to be able to spot him), and thus tried a direct fly for the rabbit.
So I decided to go check the dog yard fence for feathers, and sure enough I found a clump on the wire on the door.
The stupid bird broke its own neck trying to hunt my rabbit.
So, what do you think I should do with the body?
Yesterday, I was heading out to the ol' rabbit hutch to see my favorite cuddle bunny and refill his food, when I nearly tripped over the carcass of a large, recently deceased bird lying on it's stomach, so I couldn't really identify it. It was 3 feet outside of this old dog yard that the hutch is at the back of. I gasped and jumped backwards a few feet, then walked around the thing to finish my rabbit feeding chore.
So, when I went inside, I told my parents "there's a dead partridge out by the dog yard." Ok, so there are no partridges in Vermont, so sue me. The bird resembled one that I had accidentally killed by chasing it into a window 3 years ago, and I always called that bird a partridge. It was probably a grouse. But that's another story all together.
Anyway, my parents automatically started asking stupid parent questions, like "You didn't touch it, did you?" or "Dead? Are you sure?"
Cut to me saying "Yes, I have the common sense to not touch a bird that has died under mysterious circumstances. I have no desire to contract West Nile Virus." So we all went outside to look at the thing, and we decided we should contact the Vermont Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, in case they want to inspect the body. I tried calling, but they close at 4:00. What an odd time to close.
Now I head out to the carcass with a large plastic bag that's inverted so I can pick the thing up and get it out of dog reach without having to touch it. I turn it over just to inspect it further and...dun dun duuuuuun...It's a hawk. or falcon. whatever, it's a freakin' awesome bird of prey. The little tom-boy inside of me says "Ooo! Goody goody! A hawk carcass! Look at that pointy beak!"
So, I wrap the thing up, put it in the freezer, and write down the number for the fish and game dept. so that I can call them when they're open.
Later, my dad and I were talking, and out of the blue I say, "I think the bird's neck is broken. It was lolling way to one side when I picked it up." He agrees that he thought the same thing when he first saw the bird. I also remember that I saw blood on the inside of the bag (a very small amount) when I picked the thing up. Dad states theory that the bird was hunting Elwood, but I respond that I found the body outside of the dog yard, 5 yards from the hutch.
So, today I had the brilliant idea that the bird ran into the fence around the dog yard, as difficult as that is to manage, since the wires are spaced at least two inches apart all around the fence, and the bird would've had to have swooped at Elwood in a very horizontal manor. Though given that a hutch roof hides Elwood from above, it could be that the bird was down low anyway (in order to be able to spot him), and thus tried a direct fly for the rabbit.
So I decided to go check the dog yard fence for feathers, and sure enough I found a clump on the wire on the door.
The stupid bird broke its own neck trying to hunt my rabbit.
So, what do you think I should do with the body?