Saturday, October 14, 2006
Jay and Squirrel.
Squirrel is still at it. The other day, he came flop tailing it into the yard, with a peanut in his mouth. He was carrying it crosswise in his mouth, just as a dog would carry a bone. That is, he started carrying it crosswise. Then, for some reason, halfway across the yard, he adjusted the peanut so that it was pointing out of his mouth, like a bullet. I think that must have been a signal to the jay, because suddenly, he was there also.
The jay was gaining on the squirrel, in his hopping manner. Squirrel hopped, Jay hopped. Interesting that neither one chose to run or fly. Squirrel hopped through the underbrush until he became aware of the jay behind him, at which point, he scampered up the tree - still with the bullet peanut in his mouth. And Jay then hopped into the bush.
After a bit of scurrying across the top of the fence, Squirrel returned to the ground. He circled the mound of dirt at the base of the branch a few times, poked at it, and then decided to bury the peanut. Why he’d choose to bury a peanut when there are so many peanut feeders around, I have not idea, but bury it he did. And then he started to saunter away.
Squirrel didn’t get too far before Jay arrived. Not that jay was silent or unobtrusive - but Squirrel was certainly pretending he didn’t know about the Jay. Squirrel’s back was turned while Jay hopped down from the branch where he had been hiding. Jay zeroed in on Squirrel’s mound, poked at the dirt until the peanut was uncovered, grabbed his prize, and flew off. Then Squirrel left.
Watching all this, I became suspicious. I begin to wonder if there isn’t a confidence game being played. Squirrel is just too oblivious of the end result of the peanut shell game. I wonder whether Squirrel may be a double agent. There is something about these peanuts which he is supposed to bury, but instead he is pretending to hide the information, and still making it available to the enemy Jays. Squirrel gets the peanut. Squirrel buries it - BUT he buries it within sight of the Jay. Squirrel ostensibly turns his back when Jay retrieves the nut, but he stays within earshot. I think he may be confirming that the pickup has occurred. And then, finally, Squirrel leaves the yard after the transaction. And so does Jay.
Curiouser and curiouser. I wonder in what coin the Jay is paying the Squirrel? And I wonder where this will lead? Stay tuned.
Squirrel is still at it. The other day, he came flop tailing it into the yard, with a peanut in his mouth. He was carrying it crosswise in his mouth, just as a dog would carry a bone. That is, he started carrying it crosswise. Then, for some reason, halfway across the yard, he adjusted the peanut so that it was pointing out of his mouth, like a bullet. I think that must have been a signal to the jay, because suddenly, he was there also.
The jay was gaining on the squirrel, in his hopping manner. Squirrel hopped, Jay hopped. Interesting that neither one chose to run or fly. Squirrel hopped through the underbrush until he became aware of the jay behind him, at which point, he scampered up the tree - still with the bullet peanut in his mouth. And Jay then hopped into the bush.
After a bit of scurrying across the top of the fence, Squirrel returned to the ground. He circled the mound of dirt at the base of the branch a few times, poked at it, and then decided to bury the peanut. Why he’d choose to bury a peanut when there are so many peanut feeders around, I have not idea, but bury it he did. And then he started to saunter away.
Squirrel didn’t get too far before Jay arrived. Not that jay was silent or unobtrusive - but Squirrel was certainly pretending he didn’t know about the Jay. Squirrel’s back was turned while Jay hopped down from the branch where he had been hiding. Jay zeroed in on Squirrel’s mound, poked at the dirt until the peanut was uncovered, grabbed his prize, and flew off. Then Squirrel left.
Watching all this, I became suspicious. I begin to wonder if there isn’t a confidence game being played. Squirrel is just too oblivious of the end result of the peanut shell game. I wonder whether Squirrel may be a double agent. There is something about these peanuts which he is supposed to bury, but instead he is pretending to hide the information, and still making it available to the enemy Jays. Squirrel gets the peanut. Squirrel buries it - BUT he buries it within sight of the Jay. Squirrel ostensibly turns his back when Jay retrieves the nut, but he stays within earshot. I think he may be confirming that the pickup has occurred. And then, finally, Squirrel leaves the yard after the transaction. And so does Jay.Curiouser and curiouser. I wonder in what coin the Jay is paying the Squirrel? And I wonder where this will lead? Stay tuned.
