Merlin got mobbed

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Debbie Wilson - 04 Jun 2006 16:24 GMT

Looked out of the window earlier on at the sound of increased bird
agitation outside. Merlin was meatloafing very low to the ground, ears
back and tail swishing, facing away from an audience of two crows and
two magpies around him on the ground who were heckling as loudly as they
could. Merlin was trying to pretend he wasn't bothered, but couldn't
ignore one particular crow who would sidle up when Merlin looked away,
apparently heading towards tail-pecking range, but as soon as Merlin
looked back he would jump away a few paces. This continued for about
5-10 minutes with Merlin giving the occasional 'ekk-ekk-ekk' ("bugger
off", I'm guessing) until eventually the crows and magpies got bored and
Merlin sauntered away, in his own good time. Merlin 1, Crows 0 - for
now!

Deb.

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"He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would;
He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield

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Christine Burel - 04 Jun 2006 16:25 GMT

Wow, Merlin is brave -- I'd be intimidated if 2 crows went after me!
Christine

> Looked out of the window earlier on at the sound of increased bird
> agitation outside. Merlin was meatloafing very low to the ground, ears
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Deb.

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Kreisleriana - 04 Jun 2006 16:42 GMT

>Wow, Merlin is brave -- I'd be intimidated if 2 crows went after me!
>Christine
>"Debbie Wilson" <djmaizels@mac.com> wrote in message

There *is* a "Famous" story about me getting mobbed by crows in a park
when I was about three. Amazing it didn't give me a lifelong fear of
birds. ;)

Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Make Levees, Not War

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Debbie Wilson - 04 Jun 2006 19:44 GMT

> There *is* a "Famous" story about me getting mobbed by crows in a park
> when I was about three. Amazing it didn't give me a lifelong fear of
> birds. ;)

Hitchcock eat your heart out! Sounds terrifying for a 3-year-old!

Deb.

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"He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would;
He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield

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Kreisleriana - 05 Jun 2006 00:24 GMT

>> There *is* a "Famous" story about me getting mobbed by crows in a park
>> when I was about three. Amazing it didn't give me a lifelong fear of
>> birds. ;)
>
>Hitchcock eat your heart out! Sounds terrifying for a 3-year-old!

My dad still laughs about it. He and I went to the Parrot Jungle in
South Florida recently, and had parrots landing all over us. Dad
looked at me covered in curious rainbow lorikeets and said "Well,
they're *still* not afraid of you." ;)

Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Make Levees, Not War

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Debbie Wilson - 04 Jun 2006 19:44 GMT

> Wow, Merlin is brave -- I'd be intimidated if 2 crows went after me!

I was surprised he stuck it out - he is usually quite a wuss TBH :-)

Deb.

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"He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would;
He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield

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Marina - 04 Jun 2006 17:05 GMT

> Looked out of the window earlier on at the sound of increased bird
> agitation outside. Merlin was meatloafing very low to the ground, ears
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Merlin sauntered away, in his own good time. Merlin 1, Crows 0 - for
> now!

Good for Merlin! There are some crows and magpies who tease the cats
when they are out in the enclosure. But everyone seems quite happy with
the situation; the birds tease, the cats stalk, everyone is safe because
there is netting between them. ;o)

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Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.
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Debbie Wilson - 04 Jun 2006 19:44 GMT

> Good for Merlin! There are some crows and magpies who tease the cats
> when they are out in the enclosure. But everyone seems quite happy with
> the situation; the birds tease, the cats stalk, everyone is safe because
> there is netting between them. ;o)

:-) I'm sure the cats are thinking "You just wait.... one day...."!

Deb;

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"He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would;
He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield

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Cheryl - 05 Jun 2006 02:28 GMT

> Good for Merlin! There are some crows and magpies who tease the
> cats when they are out in the enclosure. But everyone seems
> quite happy with the situation; the birds tease, the cats stalk,
> everyone is safe because there is netting between them. ;o)

What is the measurement of the mesh on your enclosure? The mesh on
ours is about 2" (sorry, I lost the conversion utility I used to
have on my PC) and small birds can get in. I've even had a squirrel
get in and had a hard time trying to get out. I keep looking for
openings big enough to let in wildlife, and every time I think it's
safe, something happens. The other day I found a mourning dove
stuck in the enclosure. I was painting my living room and wanted to
let the cats out to keep them out of the way, but found the bird
stuck. Its mate was encouraging it to get out, and I have no idea
how long it was stuck. So I went out and cut some openings trying
to let it out, but by that point it was very tired, and really hurt
from flying into the mesh to get out. I finally had to cut an
opening to let me in (I couldn't go in through the door because the
cats were ready to kill, and they'd plow past me to get out there)
and after a half hour, finally herded it out through an opening. I
don't know if it lived. It flew to a rooftop a couple of houses
down, but it sat there for hours. The crying of its mate was just
so sad. It didn't know she was free for a while, and was flying
around for a while looking. Even when the cats were allowed out.

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Cheryl

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Marina - 05 Jun 2006 04:09 GMT

> What is the measurement of the mesh on your enclosure? The mesh on
> ours is about 2" (sorry, I lost the conversion utility I used to have
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> free for a while, and was flying around for a while looking. Even
> when the cats were allowed out.

The mesh of mine is 1.5 cm. According to my online conversion site (not
*mine*, but my favourite one:
http://www.onlineconversion.com/length.htm), that's .59 inches, so much
smaller than yours. I can't imagine any animal getting through, except
insects. We had a ladybird in the grass yesterday. Miranda was veeery
interested,. but I tried to stop her from killing it. They are, besides
pretty, also useful to have around. I'm kind of hoping they might even
sort out the insect that has attacked my apple tree.

That's so sad about the dove. I hope it survived and recovered.

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jXwXeXrXmXoXnXt@sonic.net - 04 Jun 2006 21:15 GMT

> as soon as Merlin
> looked back he would jump away a few paces. This continued for about
> 5-10 minutes with Merlin giving the occasional 'ekk-ekk-ekk' ("bugger
> off", I'm guessing)

I think it's more like "Don't forget, I'm a predator." :) Isn't that
the sound they make when gazing at a potential meal?

Joyce

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Debbie Wilson - 04 Jun 2006 21:54 GMT

> I think it's more like "Don't forget, I'm a predator." :) Isn't that
> the sound they make when gazing at a potential meal?

This is true - as long as he doesn't start bringing crows back through
the cat flap! :-o

Deb.

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"He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would;
He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield

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Jeff Mullen - 04 Jun 2006 22:13 GMT

> Looked out of the window earlier on at the sound of increased bird
> agitation outside. Merlin was meatloafing very low to the ground, ears
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Deb.

Merlin should have taken lessons from The Tigger.

The Tigger would lie in the canopy under one of the
evergreen trees in the front yard (invisible), and,
if anything got too close--and "too close" could
be as far as 10 feet away, he was that fast--ZOOM!!!!
A silver streak came out of that tree, and bye bye
birdie.

I'm glad that cat didn't have it in for humans. I
saw 4-year-old kids lug him around by the shoulders
and he barely complained. If his mean streak had
extended to my species, those kids would have been,
shall we say, less than the perfectly safe that they
were. :) :) :)

Jeff

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Debbie Wilson - 05 Jun 2006 18:11 GMT

> I'm glad that cat didn't have it in for humans. I
> saw 4-year-old kids lug him around by the shoulders
> and he barely complained. If his mean streak had
> extended to my species, those kids would have been,
> shall we say, less than the perfectly safe that they
> were. :) :) :)

There have been several times I am very glad that cats are smaller than
us... even if in their minds, they are so much bigger :-)

Deb.

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"He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would;
He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield

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