Meet the latest in the cast of characters that make life here in the Burrow so wonderfully  wacky . He is a nestling/fledgeling grackel ( I think) whom we have affectionately nicknamed baby Huey. As you can see by his girth, flying is not his specialty. He has falling and plopping mastered, and he  can hop( kind of ) to low branches when he feels like it. Huey is grumpy, a sour puss and  angry at the world and he  is making me miserable.

Yesterday Huey  thumped out of the plum tree where he was born down into the driveway below ,then proceeded to waddle into the garage bay where I was standing. Huey decided that this space was now his own and began to squawk loudly at me. I tried to reassure him that I am a bird lover, providing  food, shelter, and a lovely space for all creatures avian, and in return quite enjoy the antics and entertainment they provide, and was no threat to him. Huey thought otherwise. When I tried to leave the garage he really  worked up a ruckus and then proceeded to lunge at my ankles and toes trying to peck me. Really.

The whole thing was quite ridiculous and any neighbor that may have passed by while I was trying to reason with an angry bird at my feet must have thought me insane.

Last night Huey tumbled  to the bottom of the flamingo willow near the front porch where Faith and I were brushing the dogs. He launched into a tirade squawking and yelling and generally upsetting everyone including his father ( I say Father because any MOTHER would not let he rolly polly unable to fly fledgling out into the world like that, AND he probably had some splainin’ to do when the Mrs. returned).

We went inside to stop all the drama.

This morning as I went out to leave, there was Huey, behind my car blocking me in the driveway. Huey did not care that I had an appointment, did not give one whit. He stood his ground and when I went in to grab the camera and snap his photo and , he did this alarming 360 degree exorcist like head spin so he could hiss and squawk at me without moving his chunky little body. Things just keep getting weirder around here all the time.