15 May 2007

wild things...

Well, as promised, here is the story of the "Leaping Lizards." Actually, not so much a story as an observation, they didn't actually talk-- to me. I'm confident that there was a lot of business going on between them, snapping and growling, vicious tail biting, and probably a fair amount of insults. What was evident to the untrained eye, was too highly animated little gecko or other 5 "long dull-colored-mini-cocodrile- acting beasties thrashing about beside my back door.

So engrossed were they, that they hardly noticed the big truck, men with ladders and hammers and HRH walking about,and even lurking dangerously close with her new camera. No, they were biting, jumping, chasing and doing those kinds of flips--the kind that alligators do when they're trying to kill their prey. I am sure that if I were 5 inches tall, I would've been scared half to death, but because it was miniature reality-I watched with fascination. I had seen one of these guys a couple of days ago and thought it odd that he had a stubby tail like a boxer (dog type).

This was after watching the mating ritual of the bunnies on Sunday. They had an intensive staring competition, and when bunny-with-the-laid-back-ears feinted to the right-just slightly; bunny-with-love-in-his eyes, jumped at least 12 inches straight into the air. They both ran in a tight circle-- the time of two-- then settled down into staring posture.


This wondrous moment of romance followed close on the heels of my introduction to Bruce The Bull Snake; who showed up minutes after Mr. and Mrs. Grouse, had passed by the front window.

I'm telling you, I hardly have time to tend to my chores with all these wild animal vignettes taking place.

And I don't even know what all goes on after dark... I just hear the howling.

4 comments:

moi said...

WOW! Awesome blossom photos! AND, you caught on film this most elusive behavior! I have TONS of Harry Larry lizards living on my property and have never been lucky enough to witness a fight - over territory or a lady lizard, I don't quite know. They're not actually called Harry Larry lizards by the way. That's a name I made up years ago – long story. They are most likely either the Sceloporus cowlesi (Southwestern Fence Lizard) or the Sceloporus tristichus (Plateau Lizard), I have never been able to figure out exactly. Very cool, though!

Doris Rose said...

thanks, dr. moi

~MAGILL~ said...

a regular Dr DOlittle I see

A.Fanny said...

I love the wildlife all around us - today we were picking oranges from our tree and my huband said "Let's leave a few for the rats." That's one of our creatures - then there are the possums and the squirrels and feral kitties. We have lizards too and numerous birdies that I can't begin to identify. Blessings!

Natalie Dessay rehearsing in Santa Fe 2008

Sempre libra Millenium park 2008

La Sonnambula Finale

Dessay in Santa Fe