Bird Party + Mast Year = 1 Unhappy Pup
All she wanted was to do her business.
2 facts
1. Why do birds flock together in trees?
According to Seabrook Island Birders, birds of more than one species will gather together in a tree during the fall and winter months for warmth, protection from predators, and to find food.
2. What is with all of the acorns?
Do you have Oak trees around your house? Have you noticed all of the acorns bouncing off of your roof, walls, and windows? 2023 is what is known as a “Mast year.” Every few years Oak trees drop their acorns en masse. It is theorized they do this so the squirrels find themselves with an overabundant supply. With acorns being left behind and not eaten, maybe a few new trees will show up in the spring.
With those two facts in mind
It’s early morning. Time to get up. Time to let the dogs out.
As you open the door, you can’t help but marvel at all of the birds cackling, cawing, and chirping in the tall Oak on the front side of your house. Such noise they produce when they get together! You enjoy the cacophony of sound as you attach Chloe’s lead and she slips out the door.
You shut the door and turn to let the other dog out. Not having a fenced-in yard, each dog has its own door. You are bending over Z to attach him to his lead when Chloe starts barking up a storm from the front door.
You look at Z. Z rolls his eyes. You agree. Chloe is such a drama queen. Z slips out the back door.
Heading back toward Chloe’s insistent barking, you pause. It sounds like the front of the house is under attack. The sound of knocks and bangs and something that is almost like a crash is coming from the front of the house. And through it all, Chloe continues to bark. What is going on?
You pop open the main front door. An acorn hits the storm door right in front of your face.
There is Chloe. You watch an acorn bonk her in the head. With the amount of acorns surrounding her, you suspect this isn’t the first time she has been hit. The birds in the trees get louder as though they are cheering whichever of their gang accomplished that direct hit. You picture those tens of birds high up in that Oak jumping up and down on those branches, shaking the tree, loosening hard little acorn bullets down on your dog. You are guessing those birds are drunk on their temporary power.
Feeling pity for your hound dog, you grab her lead and bring her inside. Your head is outside of your door long enough even you get boinked in the head by two separate acorns. The birds’ cackling once again gears up in volume. They are definitely enjoying this game. As Chloe clambers to get inside, one more acorn smacks into her bottom.
The birds celebrate their hit. Both you and Chloe give the birds the evil eye. Of course you do this with the storm door firmly closed between you and the painful little projectiles.
With Chloe safely inside
It isn’t long before the birds lose interest in their game and fly to parts unknown. The neighborhood is again quiet.
You are unsure if Chloe ever completed her morning constitutional before she started getting pegged with acorns. You ask if she wants to go out a second time. You notice she does slow down before stepping outside. Your poor hound dog. Traumatized by mean birds through the use of multitudes of acorns.
You apologize for calling her a drama queen. Today her barks were warranted. You assure her those birds will be cold outdoors all winter long while she is indoors all comfy and warm in your lap. Well, as much of her that can fit in your lap. She’s not really lap dog size. You’ll figure it out.
Meanwhile, Z watches from his oversized fluffy floor pillow as she timidly steps outside. You see him roll his eyes again. As he was at the back of the house and not under the bird-infested Oak, he did not experience the acorn artillery fire. To him, Chloe is still a drama queen.
