Catastrophic molt

While we were away for the holiday, it seems a mockingbird experienced a "catastrophic molt" - at least that's what we are calling it. You know the thing, bird feathers all over the yard like a burst pillow, but no trace of a perpetrator. The fact is that we've had a nasty black cat lurking about for some time. Lately, he/she has gotten pretty brazen, coming down to the feeder in midday and returning only moments after being shooed away!

So we decided it was time to whack back the brush on the bank. We've been fighting fixing the bank since we moved in during the summer of 2010. The "wilderness" {as I like to call it} was one of the selling points of the house, as it provides a good bit of privacy for the back of the house and good cover for the birds I coax to the feeder. Unfortunately, the brambles and honeysuckle are a bit too vigorous and it provides good cover for both the cat and cooper's hawk!

Our bank in 2010

Our bank today, before

Our bank today, after

Its hard to tell the difference without being here in the yard, but the bank has improved so much and added a lot to our yard over these past four summers. Now that the old perches are liberated, the birdies will be much happier, and I hope much safer.