TRAGEDY ON SANTA CRUZ ISLAND (OrnoRachael News)
One of our birds, named Ralph, died a violent death at the talons of an Accipitor 2 days ago. He was found on the side of the trail beheaded and with one wing torn off. We knew it was Ralph because of the color-bands on his legs. Ralph has a fledgling and the neighboring male, Krusty, who's nest recently failed, was feeding it. I saw the fledgling following him around, begging for food. Nice little drama, huh? We all would like to know which bird is the fledgling's biological father. (yes, birds engage in extra-pair copulations (EPCs).) Otto, another orange-crowned warbler on our plot hasn't been seen on his territory for days. We wonder if he met the same fate as Ralph. (All male birds on the plot are named after characters on The Simpsons.)
***picture is not related to any of the birds that Rachael is currently stalking.
3 comments:
VoftheM-is this an exerpt from one of Rachael's emails?
Scandalous! On top of murder in the forest, we don't even know who the father of the young orphan is.
This is an excerpt from one of Rachael's latest e-mails. I informed her of my decision to share with all.
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