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Thursday, December 12, 2013

POOR ANOLE

I ventured out into the garden today for the first time in over 2 weeks. Thanksgiving followed immediately by an injury to my foot, which is very slow to heal, has kept me indoors. Yesterday I got good news from the Orthopedic surgeon. As long as I can find a comfortable shoe to wear I can walk on the foot. UGGs are my friend. I ventured out into the garden today and this is what I found.


Do you know what I think when I see this? Loggerhead shrike, Lanius ludovicianus. That innocent looking but cruel butcher bird who impales his prey on barbed wire and branches.
 But on closer inspection I decided that this was just an unfortunate accident. He leg was impaled by the growing spike of this agave. What was he doing? Jumping from one agave leaf to another? I know its a favorite hang out of anoles. Was he being chased by our resident roadrunner? I'll never know. So sad.

10 comments:

  1. Poor thing. Hate to see bad things happen to the good guys.
    Hope your foot is better soon. At least the weather hasn't been too good for gardening, while you can't get out there, anyway.
    Have a good holiday. Take care.

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  2. In defense of the shrikes. They are not cruel. Just don't have grocery stores to go to to buy their food. Or refrigerators in which to store it. Or the feet to hold it to rip it into pieces.Just doing what they gotta do.

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    1. You are right Marilyn, I was rather thoughtless in my description.

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  3. A reminder that nature is indeed "red in tooth and claw". We forget that at our peril... Glad to hear your foot is healing. Taking time to mend is important work in and of itself. Hope you are having Happy Holidays!

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  4. I know the feeling, being an agave-yucca-cactus-foothill oak fan myself! But glad I'm large enough it is just a flesh wound, not death by spike. Sorry to hear you have an injury, again...

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  5. Oh poor thing. Nature can be very cruel. Glad you foot is healing.

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  6. Wow, that was weird. Cool, but weird. Sad too.

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  7. I can think of worse ways to go, not many, but they are out there.

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