New camera!
Almost the old days. As fast as I can type (cool moist Autumn morning)
This is a perfect vignette of wild-bird behavior. There’s a fine dark female in orbit – it’s fig time again. (8th season for me). I just happened to be crouching, half-hidden, in the garden when she hove into sight.
She started ‘vocally staking-out territory’; and here’s the great thing:
I heard – two times – a faint string of reply-booms from a female to the south east.
All the while, Eric the Emu and chick Uno were scoffgobblemunchwolf-ing their morning wheat.
Is Eric growing old? I have been wondering. Few birds in orbit this year, so no conflicts witnessed.
Then the female began The Sideways Boogie, with a bit of ruff, and started approaching Eric.
Eric stood up . . .
And chased her off.
Note that Uno lagged behind. It’s an insight into her/his personality: different chicks show different degrees of aggression when they follow Dad into a fight.
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