This photo came up in the memories section the other day, which prompted me to do this blog.
I remember those first moments with her. She was quiet and gentle. She spent lengthy amounts of time with me on the back deck.
It wasn't long before moments like this were occurring. I just had to put my hand out to her and...
What a sweet little character she be!
Mickey is much smaller than Pierre. They usually don't get along. Pierre throws tantrums when she tries to come in for a feed while he's with me. Over time Mickey's quiet gentle demeanor disappeared in these moments. She became very vocal and physical too! I can only imagine the things she said to Pierre in those moments of the scuffle. She was not afraid to give him a few good smacks with her wings too. It is survival of the fittest (or hungriest) and Mickey caught on that being a little bitch sure helped her get ahead of the flock. You can catch some of the action in this video.
A pleasant moment with her and I.
Of course Pierre is number one with me and there are times I push Mickey aside. Yes she still gets fed but not the total VIP treatment like my boy. She deals with this, eats from the ground like the others and eventually gets some attention (and better grub).
I do look out for her in my daily backyard moments. She disappears for days at a time, sometimes weeks (or we just aren't crossing paths). But then suddenly there she is. I hold out my hand and in she comes. It's like no time has passed. I love these moments, it's just like meeting up some good old friends I don't see very often in our busy lives.
I can easily ID Mickey from a distance by her distinct eye ring, not sure what else to call it. It stands out to me. People often ask me how I can distinguish these birds in such large flocks. Pierre has his white spot, a beauty mark, on his right cheek. Mickey, it's her eyes. If anyone spent a lengthy amount of time with a flock of these birds, they too would find the little things about some of them that make them stand out in a sea of blue and gray feathers.
So celebrate with me on Mickey's little anniversary. She is one of the survivors in the flock. Keep going little one!
I did one of them silly ice bucket challenges and she joined me in the initial moments of it. See here.
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