Bamboo Feeding 5/19/17

It was VERY hot today.... 86 degrees in the shade...  But I promised myself I would sprinkle timed release fertilizer on the bamboo today, so I faced the heat and humidity and made the bamboo happy. Now, if only we would have some rain, EVERYTHING would be ecstatic here.  We're going to fire up the pump tomorrow and water the bamboo from the pond, but rain is quite a bit easier!

MAY 14, 2017 A VERY SAD MOTHERS DAY - RIP BUCK

First wildfires broke out all around our home which was very unnerving. Large pieces of burnt ash were raining down around our swimming pool behind our house. The air was filled with thick smoke that has left us with sore throats today.

We left to go investigate the source of the fire and discovered to our horror, one of our beloved Peacock boys had been struck by a car and killed. It was one we affectionately called Buck. He was born here around the end of May last year so he was just under one-year old. We've watched this little guy grow up from being a soft-ball sized little fluff ball on pipe-cleaner legs to an almost mature peafowl male. It is like losing a family member the sadness I feel is indescribable.

Beautiful Buck the Peacock, RIP little friend, we'll miss you

THE WEST MELBOURNE FIRE

We headed on to the fire which was 1.5 miles from P2. It was more than a little alarming seeing flames jumping around and lighting up massive pine trees that are so dry from the last five months of extreme drought.

Here are some pictures from the West Melbourne fire on May 14, 2017

Subdivision Due North of P2

Helicopter flying through thick smoke on surveillance

Our neighbors watch from the I95 overpass

Another view of our neighbors

Massive pine tree on fire

Fire in the woods burning openly

A cute spectator

Helicopter dumping water from the sky

More trees burning

PEAFOWL SINGING STOPS ABRUPTLY, ALMOST COMPLETELY

Throughout the month of April the Peacocks sang their songs through the night and into the day each morning. They chased each other around trees and up into the trees at night, then another round of "Me Ha, Me Ha, Meh, Me Ha, Me Ha, Mehhhh, mehh" vocals began.

Based off the last two years of observing the peafowl we determined the actual mating must occur sometime around the beginning of May because the first babies were spotted at the end of May and beginning of June. Since it takes 30 days for a peafowl egg to mature we've back timed the mating to be around now. 

Over the last few evenings the singing has stopped. We're missing it a lot, it's a very unique and beautiful sound after you become accustomed to it. 

Just to prove me wrong some peacock (Huge I suspect from his tone) let out a couple of "Me Ha" calls. Overall the singing has virtually ended. The chasing each other has also subsided, the males are no longer jockeying for dominance in the flock.

My favorite Pea-boy Hookie was notably absent for a good bit of April. He's usually right here by the window in the mornings looking for a treat but since there's sex at play here he has been out chasing the ladies, skunking around like the wonderful blue tramp he is. 

So, if the mating is over, will the peacocks start pulling out their beautiful long tail feathers in preparation for the hot summer? We can only guess.

UPDATE: Ok there is still a little more singing going on. We can hear HUGE up in his tree out by the big pond at night, he still lets out a few "Me ha's". There are also some far away peafowl cries occurring in the early evening.

Today is may 15 and it's very quiet. No peafowl calls and no peafowl in sight. Perhaps they're attending newly laid eggs? We hope so. We're ready for this years babies. Hopefully they will be smarter than last years kids.