Photo by Audrey Pavia
A Spinus tristis outside my office windowpane proves the beauty of urban wildlife .
When I take heed citizenry who live in rural areas babble about their wildlife sighting , I finger pang of envy . They have deer graze in their backyards . They have a family of raccoons that visit the back porch every night . They have a gilt eagle nesting in their tree diagram behind the barn . It just drives me crazy .
While I love the convenience of living in an urban area — I ’m 50 international mile from L.A. and minutes from luck of bighearted entrepot and eating place — I do long for the feeling of being in nature . It ’s something rural Farmer take for granted , and it ’s something I pine for .
So I try out to apprize the wild critter we do have around here . They do n’t often show themselves , but when they do , it ’s glorious .
Take for example this past weekend : Two days ago , I was walk back to the sign of the zodiac after feed thechickenswhen something bright caught my eye . I stopped and saw arufous hummingbirddrinking from an agave blossom near my kitchen window . This particular species of hummingbird is somewhat uncommon around here . They pass through the area when migrate from the northern part of the U.S. down to Mexico . Some of them stay around if flood is plentiful , but it ’s rare to see them . It ’s too bad , because they are truly stunning . This one bewilder me with its iridescent orangeness feathers glinting in the sun . I stood and watched as he drank from the flower , his feathers shimmer in the brightness level as he fleet about .
Later that day , while sitting in my berth , I was treat to a troop ofgoldfinchesthat settle on a bird affluent I had placed outside my windowpane . Because the area where I lived is semi - desiccated , most of our local razz are slow in color , their feathering project to meld into the dry scenery . But not these goldfinches , whose burnished - yellow titty feathers contrast with their ticket - gray - and - clean mark . They chirped and palaver while they pecked away at the thistle germ I ’d put in the eater . I sat and watch them for a good 20 minutes before I tore myself off and get back to work .
And then , last dark came the best wildlife encounter of the weekend . It was after dusk , and I was ridingMilagrodown the track . I had just crossed the street from my house when a prairie wolf began foretell from the hills just a couple of auction block away . His yelps made my spunk pump hard ; the wildness in his voice was so exciting . Milagro turned his head and pricked his ears in the direction where the calls were coming from , also intrigued by the speech sound .
The coyote ’s howl ended quickly , and before long I was spend a neighbour ’s business firm on the lead . My neighbour was standing outside on the driveway .
“ Did you hear the coyote ? ” he said to me , distinctly as excited as I was about it .
“ Yes ! ” I said . “ He was sing ! ”
It was then that I gain the coyote ’s voice was more than just a sign of the wilderness adjacent to our urban community . It was also a slap-up talent .
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