I am not one to
ordinarily pick on any specific bird species. Generally, I like them
all for any number of reasons, including how some taste on my plate.
While some folks complain of the noble Canada Goose, and even refer
to them as Sky Carp, they are magnificent in grace and beauty---even
if they do tend to leave small traces of their beings on shorelines
and lawns.
Juncos are a
bird of winter, it seems, and swarm feeders and the ground under
them, busily foraging for seeds. They might be seen as flying mice,
but with a cleaner demeanor. The Oregon Junco has a snappy coat, a
dark covering of tiny feathers all rather formal if not regal. They
are almost impossible to not like.
About the time
Juncos arrive, or at least arrive in winter numbers, it is also time
to look after winter tasks like making sure all the windows are
tightened up, the bulbs are dug, the potatoes comfortable in the
basement and the heating systems are up and running. Most of the
tasks are referred to as winterization and that does include making
sure the bird feeders are ready for the flights of arriving birds
like the Juncos.
In the process
of performing these efforts it was found by my renters that their
furnace was not working, simply would not come on. Not wanting them
to freeze off in the coming season, and wanting to avoid a small
lawsuit, I did the usual examination thinking it was a loose wire or
a simple abnormality, but no. In frustration, I called Mike and
started making the usual inquiry, asking him why am I such a loser
(that is what the little light on the furnace said) and he tried to
lead me through a process of simple deduction to find the problem as
opposed to just running over here and charging me a cool $100 . I
listened and then realized it is hard for me to even kneel down, so I
gave up and invited him over for what I know will be some
nonsensically simple repair.
I'm sure that
on the other end of the phone he was grinning and shaking his head
saying, “These Wright brothers are basket cases, cleaver maybe, but
slow.”
He showed up in
short order, still rather amused, probably knowing he had told me how
to fix it but due to situations out of his control, me, he would need
to save the day. Down in the basement he went through the usual
rapid, very linear process with his various electrical testers and
deduced the pressure detector on the exhaust fan was not tripping,
meaning the exhaust pipe was compromised----pretty much what he told
me from the comfort of his office.
He then removed
the exhaust pipe from the furnace and looked inside. With a sly grin,
he looked over at me and gave a subtle, but meaningful, gesture for
me to take a look. There at the entrance of the pipe were the remains
of a small gray bird, a bird that was well dried, very dead as in
deceased, and obviously blocking the vent.
Mike makes a
remark about the value of Ornithology and the unfortunate habits of
some birds all the while cleaning out the vent and reassembling the
furnace. He is amused by it all and makes note of other similar
experiences he has had including finding a massive paper wasp's nest
in a vent.
Me, I was
having other thoughts including thinking he has an arrangement with
birds and wasps to work for him on the side to generate work and
thus stimulate the economy even if it costs them their lives.
I also saw
dollar bills flying out the window, or was it out the vents.
I asked, “What
the hell is this Junco doing in this vent?” Mike, in his deep radio
voice, and under a small concealed smile said , “Damned if know,
obstructions just happen.” He surely would not admit that he has
either trained them or paid them in seeds to obstruct the vents of
reasonable humans, ( heating vents).
My mind was
reeling with questions for which Mike offered no solutions, but he
was clearly entertained by the unfolded events. I then saw it as a
Darwinian mistake because the bird in it's wisdom probably wanted to
make a statement about my polluting the atmosphere with CO2 and thus
plugged the vent. However, in the small bird's act of defiance, he
lost his life (I assumed it was a he) and thus would not be able to
breed and make more defiant Juncos, who in turn may have had a
profound affect on bad human behavior.
Briefly, I was
concerned because if other animals got the drift of this act they
might take it to another level, like having chipmunks crawl up my
exhaust pipe of our VW. Worse yet, Pelicans might drop down stacks on
power plants and or even in a fit of desperation, shove a nasty
raccoon up the discharge pipe of the sewer plant. Well, maybe I am
over reacting, or racked with guilt when in fact, Mike really was in
league with the juncos.
Mike treated me
well and I forgave the Juncos. I will continue to feed birds---- but
will maintain a watchful, but thankful eye on both.
