MOCKINGBIRD

(JUNE 2, 2010) It was a foggy morning on the Riverwalk. The other shore was not visible and birds seemed to fly into an abyss as they flew from one shore to the other. The birds on the wire were eerie as they sat there against the foggy background and gray sky.

As the sun broke, the fog lifted, and the shore across the way became visible. The cormorants and turtles were sighted on the return trip after being a dim vision on a log in the river fog on the trip up the river. An interesting pattern of spider webs adorned the trees in the two fields beyond Dan Daniel Park. The intricacies of the spider artist at work proved too tempting not to photograph against the foggy backdrop.

The birds were out as the geese herded their goslings toward the river as Sadie and I approached, and the mallard pair that often hang out near the public works department had re-located this morning towards Dan Daniel Park. Some interesting birds hid themselves in the green foliage and chirped as we passed.

But the most unique experience we had on the trip up and back was our encounter with a mockingbird. These birds often pose for me, and this morning seemed to be the same. However, one bird had a green worm in its beak as we walked west on the Riverwalk. He flew aggressively toward us, squawking at us as he came nearer and nearer - finally within a yard or so. He perched on a fence post and let his disdain come through in his angry eyes and impolite temperament.

On the way back, the same bird, this time with berries in his beak, came at us again. I kept shooting pictures as Sadie, the "bird dog," cowered behind me. The bird kept squawking, and I kept shooting, and Sadie kept cowering.

Sadie had had a close encounter with a mockingbird about a year ago, and I think the memory of that traumatic moment was brought forth in this double dose of irate bird bantering. We moved on, and the bird flew away to a nest, I assume, that was close by.

It was another good morning on the Riverwalk.