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Of cabbages and Kinglets



Tongue firmly planted in cheek (And perhaps foot in mouth) I dare tie
another knot in the kinglet thread.
This morning while filling the feeders I noticed a GCK staring at me with a
look of hunger in her eye. It was the same look a Red-tail has when looking
at a mouse or a teenager at a pepperoni pizza.
Got me to thinking, a rare event in itself. Perhaps the reason we don't lose
kinglets in severe weather in the mountains is that they have become
carnivores rather than insectivores. This would not have occurred in the
Piedmont since all of my friends who live there tell me life is more gentle
there.
As I got into the idea I checked and, sure enough, there is at least one
squirrel missing from the hundred or so that infest our woods. I will
continue to monitor future generations of GCKs to see if there are any
changes such as hooked beak and more curved claws. Perhaps in a few
generations we will have a Gold-crowned Hawklet, or at least a Ruby-crowned
Shrikelet.
I'll keep you informed. That's a promise...er..threat.
                                                    Reece
Reece 'n Judy Mitchell
Flat Rock, NC
rmitche2@tds.net