BIRD FIGHT!

There’s this tree on our neighbor’s empty lot that used to be big and thriving. One year, it died. Just like that. Leaves failed to return after winter and small branches fell to the ground in a heavy wind.

It’s a bit of an eyesore, I must admit.

Our neighbor had plans to make it into a pencil tree, like this one:

They started to trim the branches towards that end when suddenly they sold the lot and left the tree as is. I felt sad whenever I saw it, because we have a history with this tree that goes beyond looking at it from our patio.

Many years ago, we considered buying the lot it stands on. It’s a great location. But the tree is right where a house should go. We hated the thought of cutting it down. We considered designing a house that would somehow incorporate the tree. You know, a hippy-dippy house that wrapped around the tree? Or something. Luckily for us, the lot next door to that one became available, so we were able to build in the same great location without having to kill a big, beautiful tree.

That was nine years ago. Watching it die made me sad. But watching a colorful woodpecker take up residence in it this past year has made me happy. There are two impressive, perfectly round holes in one of the branches that I assume he/she created. I’ve enjoyed watching his/her family fly in and out of them.

Today, though, there was some kind of war over this prime real estate. The woodpecker and a black bird got into a fight over what I can only imagine is a plush, four bedroom waterfront nest inside that branch. At one point, they were BOTH in there, still fighting. I mean, how big is that place?

They would argue outside the hole, wings flapping, and then retreat to separate branches. Finally, the woodpecker holed up inside the tree but kept a close watch on this interloper.

 More fighting!

Then, for reasons I don't understand, the woodpecker flew away.

He/she had been living there a long time. Maybe the blackbird threatened its parents? Maybe they settled on a financial arrangement? I don't know. But the only one living in that tree now is the black bird. And I'm kinda pissed about it.

Look at him/her laughing his/her beak off. What a jerk.