Here's the current tribe, The Buckeyes.
Congratulations, Bob! This is such a kind, welcoming, informative and interesting thread. As hard as it is to keep up - to be honest I have mixed emotions about the pace and reaching this milestone so quickly - but really, I am glad to have found this place. It has truly been a great experience for me and a comfort and joy through both hard and good times. Thank you for hosting!
The Buckeyes
Peanut
#1, Leader. Mild-mannered, calm and agreeable. Only steps in if something is really out of hand in the ranks. She prefers to let everyone do what they need to do. There aren't any nestbox fights, though loud complaining does happen. If someone is laying in the nestbox, she might join them if she really has to lay, but usually quietly lets them be. She's very talkative with me, always sticking around for a bit to say hello, sweetly toot-peeping and then grooming me /fixing my clothes.
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Hazel
#2. The Keeper of the Rules and Sentinel. Generally sweet but no-nonsense and quickly fierce. Enthusiastically reminds everyone (except Peanut) of their place below her. Even Peanut has to keep her in line sometimes. Hazel takes advantage of her position by commandeering anything of interest to Butters (#3) and Popcorn (#4). Butters will often contest the challenge (and ultimately concede), but Popcorn just moves off to somewhere else when Hazel comes by. However, Hazel is often hesitant around food or treats I bring to them, and lets others eat first while she calls out excitedly. She is very talkative, and hangs out along with Peanut to say hello, but also to "groom" my pants, and lower back if I'm crouching. Any bare skin beware, she is rough and not gentle with her grooming. Luckily for me she is not interested in bare legs!
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Butters
#3. Mellow and calm, Butters is sweet natured with a steady gaze. Though she is the biggest of the Buckeyes, she was the initial focus of a Red-Tail attack three times, maybe because she is too mellow and calm and thus unawares. She is much wiser and alert to the threats from above now. She gets along with everyone, but occasionally Hazel gets too overbearing and they have a short skirmish. Those two often forage together however.
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Butters (left) and Peanut
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Popcorn
#4. Popcorn is sweet and personable, but has been almost a "no touch" Buckeye. She will reluctantly let me pick her up and examine her, but I do not push it with her. She hangs around but generally out of reach. Inexplicably she has started squatting for me. She does eat from my hand and is the most gentle of all of them with my fingers, very delicate. She is more solo in foraging, but does go around a lot with Peanut. She is a very active and enthusiastic digger and seems to know that even if she gets pushed off a promising spot, there's always another to be found. She's smart about any food or treats and zips in and out skillfully when there's competition, and when there's not she will take full advantage and wolf it down with gusto. She will run down moths. Here she is wing spreading a bit in hot weather, but that hardly slows her down.
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Popcorn on the right, Peanut on the left
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