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"chickadees and cat hair"



Dear carolinabirds:

This thread has brought back a really old memory, concerning an elderly,
overweight, and not-too-bright tomcat and a family of mockingbirds on my
parents' farm near Hillsborough in the Sixties. The tomcat, named Tubby, had
as his primary goal in life simply sleeping in the sun on a picnic table in
the yard. The picnic table was in the territory of a particularly aggressive
pair of mockingbirds. As Tubby dozed off, the mockers watching from various
points around the yard would quietly move to a hickory tree about 50 feet
from the table, from which position they were behind the tomcat. As soon as
the birds were sure of the tomcat being asleep, one would launch towards him
in a silent glide, dropping down to peck Tubby on the top of his head while
in flight then making its raucous getaway. The cat would look up, snarl,
swat at the departed and out-of-range mocker, then go back to sleep. The
mockers would then repeat, apparently taking turns. After a month or so the
old cat had a bald and bleeding spot between his ears, but never gave up his
perch on the picnic table. Believe it or not, this went on for three years.
I never thought of it at the time, but the birds COULD have been collecting
cat hair for the nest, but it looked more like trophy hunting.

Further, and on this thread, I have noticed over the years that many species
of birds nesting on my farm routinely incorporate wool into the nest. With
sometimes over 300 head of sheep on the farm, there is always a supply of
stray bits of wool stuck to briars, fences, etc. Orchard Orioles
particularly seem to like a wool nest, which will last for years looking
like a dirty sock hanging in the treetops.

James Coman
Piney Creek