97: LOVE AND SURVIVAL

In early February 2 tiny peachicks hatched at my place.

Pea 1 and Pea 2 look up to their mum about 20000 times a day.

95. TWO LITTLE MIRACLES

 

After trying, waiting, and sitting eggs all summer long for a decade, my peahen has finally produced two fledgling peachicks.

86. Peacock Practice

                                       

My Peacock Pops has full breeding plumage.

78. Our Peacock's Tail?

To attract a peahen, a peacock raises his train into a wide fan shape, then shimmies and shakes, enclosing her in a glorious cave of long feathers.

60. Perfect Preening

We had a new India Blue Peacock. Mr Popples liked hiding in the back garden; but popped his blue head up every once in a while to surprise me. In the garage he blocked me from driving to work. Demanding food for rite of passage, he became the gatekeeper. The bird was out of favour. Then I saw him preening. 

56. Peacock Blues: Part 2

                                                       ‘Oh, he’s beautiful.’ 

49. Peacock Blues: Part 1

Poppy is a peahen that flew in one winter morning and decided to stay. The old girl follows me around the yard every day. She believes I produce food at will; I believe she’s lonely.

19. CRAPPY WET WASHING

In 2015, Poppy our Peahen ran away. We didn’t see her for a month. They were weeks of worrying I’d spooked her off. It was because she’d sat on the back door mat making squidgy do-do and I ended up sitting in it. 

13. HELLO POPPY

When my boyfriend visited me in Victoria, I caged Bernie the Budgerigar.

11. THE KING'S PUNISHMENT

Rex hates Poppy Peahen being a free bird, but she loves it. When I go into the garden, she follows making assorted popping noises. I’m her feeder; she equates me with food. If I emerge from the house without offering her a morsel, I get a great deal of clucking.

Quizzical looks from the Indian Peafowl that flew into our lives out of the blue.

8. PROFESSORIAL SEX CHANGE

The first week we had Professor Popplecock we plopped him in a goat transport cage. He was safe inside, protected from Rex; a dog trained to herd animals, a pet who wanted to eat the peacock more than anything.