The Peahen and I…..a day in the life

Life has been a little surreal around these parts of late, and I’ve had to adapt to a whole new way of going about my daily business.

Peacocks are not wild birds here; this gal is a domestic bird who is either lost or has taken exception to her living quarters and escaped.  Peacocks are renown for being escapologists if they dislike their environment, they are also almost impossible to catch if not contained. Peacock owners rarely contain their birds, the majority roam free. Most stay at home but many move on.

My day used to start with feeding the dogs, the cat, the hogs and the birds. Now it begins with locating Peanut…..yes…sighs….I named her!

Usually, in the morning she hangs around outside the dining room door in the back garden, peering in….she does an awful lot of peering.

Now, Peanut can’t stay in the back garden as this is where the dogs run, given Curly cat hangs out in the front garden, so Peanut has to be moved on.

Initially I tried to herd her out of the back garden, via the gate, into the front garden, but quickly learnt that this requires two people. She may be slow, ponderous and stalky, but she’s clever and furtive! When doing this alone, it was like playing a strange, circular game of hide and seek, only the bird always won!

A change of tactics was desperately needed….. sooo, I tried rattling a cup of bird seed.

RESULT!

Now she follows me out quite happily, well, ish… it’s a work in progress.

I rattle a cup of seed and she stalks, in slow motion, behind me. All I want is my first cup of tea! Takes a long time coming these days!

You may think it’s my fault she’s here, because I’m now feeding her, but she was hanging around the neighbourhood for a while before she settled in our gardens, and a few people were feeding her, I know this because every neighbour with my phone number was ringing me, asking me to catch her and move her on!

I tried, that’s another story! Outwitted I was!

Peanut was looking bedraggled, wet and malnourished though.

Having said that now she is feeding herself, quite happily on my plants….there’s not a succulent left standing!

Anyway, moving on, there is a problem, as she can easily fly over the fence from the front garden to the back, so I’m constantly on edge while the dogs are out there.

A few days ago, the dogs were doing their usual crazy thing in the back garden, and I was happily pottering away in the greenhouse, when I heard the most horrendous, blood curdling screaming, coming from Buddy and Peanut. I raced from the back garden into the courtyard expecting to find the bird torn to shreds, but imagine my surprise when I saw Peanut on the porch roof screaming at Buddy, and him at her. It was like something out of Jurassic Park!

How did it come to this????? I really can do without the hassle, I almost had a heart attack!!!!!!!

Things are beginning to settle a little, it’s been three weeks now, and Peanut has never left the premises. Once coaxed out of the back garden, she settles happily in the front, unless raining, as it always is, she then returns to the back.

She eats every plant she likes and tears up the ones she doesn’t. The veggie patch is a favourite place to scavenge/peer/sleep/perch!

Oh, I give up!!!

Curly cat has a scratch on his nose, Peanut’s work, I’m sure. She does have a good set of nails.

He now ignores her and her aggressive, raised tail feathers and just keeps me company, as usual, while gardening in the front. He’s far more chilled than me re new arrivals. Initially I was worried he may go for her tiny throat, he’s too old for that thankfully.

Now, Peanut just stalks around Curly and I as we garden! It’s all a little weird, but strangely, it’s becoming more normal by the day!

The roosting each evening is a spectacle to behold, it always follows the same pattern. Peanut flies over the fence from the front garden, to the back.

She has a potter and a groom, checks any remaining plants for consumption….

hops across the raised beds, foraging as she goes, funny how I was only worried about the dogs destroying them…

flies onto the fence, turns around, always in the exact same spot…

crouches down…

and flies to exactly the same branch, night after night, in one of the the beech trees. She flies so easily, but looks, oh, so, clumsy!

there she goes!

Another day, another dollar!

And Finally….

tonight, before she settled down, for the first time since being here, Peanut called and hooted for ages!

Oh dear God, nooooooo…..who was she calling???

LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH!

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50 Comments

  1. Get her a mirror she’ll love it! Stare at herself for hours she will!! we had one turn up in our garden a few years ago, and she’s never left, forget having a veggie patch they will always find a way to get to your plants, eats the ones she likes, digs up the ones she doesn’t! loves red seedless grapes (not the green ones so much) pal choi, lettuce, tomatoes and is a sucker for shortbread! Likes to sit in the greenhouse on rainy days and is a fantastic alarm clock at first light, wouldn’t be without her now, enjoy.

  2. It’s spooky how animals all beat a path to your door. A peacock arrived in my garden a couple of years ago and spent a few days spying on me through the french window. He obviously wasn’t impressed by what he saw becaue he took off again. Your Peanuts knows when she’s on to a good thing. Animals all seem to realise that you are a such a softy.
    I don’t like to be rude about your new friend but isn”t she rather lacking in colour? I thought the whole point of being a peacock is to be irridescently colourful.

    • I am beginning to think Gandalf has been here and left some animal runes on the gate!!! Peacocks do love to spy don’t they? Peanut is always peering through glass doors, even the greenhouse! Sadly, it’s only the male peacocks who are iridescent….at least you got the attractive one!!! Thanks Chloris.xxx

  3. Uhuu, I guess Peanut left her previous house for better life!
    And she is very curious (love the adjectives “clever and furtive”), let me imagine you running round in circles playing with a peahen. I could write a story about that, dearest Dina!
    Don’t even dare to think is a kind “of fault”… do you know Karma?
    I’m pretty sure all the answers are there: the law of cause-effect…
    Buddy had a great lecture (lesson) from Peanut, well, sort of…
    Actually I never was confronted in my life with such animal before. I only saw the male (pecock) in Dubai, which loved to fly up to the hotel’s room terraces. In the gardens thy where “showing” off most of the time… and I really loved to look at their beauty. When I was in Scotland, couple years ago, I saw of in castle’s garden and I was collecting his feathers which now I have at home.
    A wild guess: Peanut was calling upon her male and family… maybe will you have others to visit your garden?
    My dear God, next weekend I fly to Portugal with my 85’yrs. Old mom, she want to see Fatima: I will pray for you too… and for your family… and that somehow you’ll receive the strength you need to overcame this new adventure!
    I hug you strongly love claudine

    • I do think Peanut may be calling for a mate, and she is digging holes everywhere and lying in them…..the mind boggles, imagine a flock of peacocks hanging around!!!! She is such a stalky bird, she moves very slowly but is still impossible to catch.
      I am getting used to her now, it’s as though she has been around forever!
      Thanks for the prayers, I hope you and your mum have a marvelous trip. Love and hugs to you all.xxx

  4. lowcarbdiabeticJan

    I enjoyed reading your post and seeing your photographs.

    But goodness me!
    Life is never boring at your house…

    Hope your weekend is going well.

    All the best Jan

    • Thanks Jan, you couldn’t write the script around here! Still, she is a pretty gal, a pleasure to have her in a weird way! xxx

  5. No doubt, you’ll find out if Peahen’s calls have any affect on another of her species. You are probably finding out more about this feathered friend than you may wish to and may want to know!

    Your other pets do seem to be working around your current extra lodger, (as you are) quite well. I was wondering if there has been a twittering grapevine in your neighbourhood about best places to land upon; an exclusive wingéd Twit Advisor??
    😉 xxx

    • I am beginning to hear an echo, or answering call when she screams now….she’s also digging holes! Hmmmmmmm……may get interesting around here! I am learning more about peacocks by the day, strange creatures they are!
      Oh my…Twit Advisor???? Love that!!!Hahahahaha…thanks Menhir!xxx

  6. Peanut sounds like quite a character. I don’t think I could handle her.

  7. My dear, are you sure you are not taking photos of your dreams? There’s something very surreal about this whole story. Not least of all that you’ve named her Peanut.

    I am sorry about your plants, though. Since she can reach just about anything, I don’t suppose much will survive her grazing. Sigh.

    • Photos of my dreams, what a wonderful thought! Maybe I am, it’s all strange enough! There seems to be something surreal about my life generally….
      Peanut? Tiny head…..like a pea or a nut…..thanks Anne, here’s to more dreamscapes! xxx

  8. Lovely post thank you for sharing lovely photos and have a blessed week

  9. Who needs Gerald Durrell when we have you, Dina! I can’t wait for the next instalment to see who turns up next. 🙂 I don’t think I’d be as patient as you with the noise, but love the image of you, Curly cat and Peanut pottering in the front garden. Sounds like Peanut is here to stay! Hope you’re enjoying the warmer weather, Have a good week! Caro xx

    • I do find life so very random and odd at times!!! Why settle here???? Still, she is a beautiful bird and I am becoming far to fond of her and getting used to having her around, you get used to anything in the end! I never expected to be gardening with a cat and a peacock, neither of which were ever mine….
      Seeing the sun again was utterly heavenly!!! Thanks Caro.xxx

  10. Do peahens make the same horrendous noise as peacocks? I wonder whatever will turn up next – a lost penguin.

    • Oh….yes! Peahens chill you to the bone when they screech! Awful it is!
      Hahahaha, loving the lost penguin….it’s been cold enough! Thanks Sue.xxx

  11. Ha Ha! I was once thinking of getting a pair of peacocks. They would look lovely grazing the lawn. Thank you. I have seen the light!

    • Yes….they would look wonderful, but they won’t be grazing your lawn!!! Good to hear you have seen the light, DON’T go there!!! Thanks Jess.xxx

  12. congratulations on being adopted by Peanut. She seems to have a good sense of what’s good for her. And I can identify with her peering. I do quite a bit of that myself these days. I’m amazed she managed to subdue Curly. I have a crow friend, and Nechama and he realized right away that the lonely way was mutual respect. And that’s what happens now. The crow will visit me sometimes when I’m with Nechama, but stays at leas a meter away from her. It was a pleasure getting to know Peanut. Thanks. xxx

    • Hahahaha…me too re the peering, quite a relaxing past time it is! I think poor Curly is just too old, and the bird has such a booming, screeching voice, it must be intimidating all the local cats as there are many around here yet she remains unharmed, she has powerful wings and claws too!
      How lovely to hear of your crow friend, I am such a fan of these wily, intelligent birds, maybee you could post on it one day, I would enjoy that story! Thanks Shimon.xxxx

  13. This new addition to your little community is quite something. How in the world did you decide on “Peanut” as a name? Oh — it just came to me. She’s a nutty peahen! I am going to have to get out my collection of Flannery O’Connors letters and find some of the passages about her experiences with her peacocks and their mates. I do remember her describing that same nighttime ritual with hers: up to the fence, and hence to the tree. And scream? Oh, my, did they scream.

    I didn’t know what peacocks eat, and I was surprised that she was after your plants. On the other hand, it made me sad to think of her just wandering around, hungry and malnourished. Once she realizes that she can depend on a handout, some of that garden nibbling may end.

    • I don’t know where the name came from, I was thinking about how small her head is compared to her body, peas and nuts came to mind….but she sure is nutty too!!!
      It’s interesting hearing how peacocks have a routine, this bird certainly has, and oh, yes, that AWFUL screeching!!!!
      I knew very little about peacocks so am learning fast, they seem to have a pretty varied diet, mainly prize plants! As you say though, I’d rather she was here, safe and nourished than a wandering, starving! I imagine the coming days and months will prove interesting!!! Thanks Linda.xxx

  14. Great post and images. Great summer ahead!

  15. I loved every word and every photo ~ It would even make a good children’s story I think with such great characters as Peanut and Curly as well as the rest of the motley menagerie. The first and only thing to cause me to smile all day . Although like you , if I had heard that alarming screeching and screaming I would have had a major panic attack! Thank you for sharing this action packed and lovely tale . Never a dull moment really at your house ! xx

    • Lovely to hear from you Val. I hope all is well in your world. So glad you enjoyed the post, maybe you should write the children’s story and I’ll illustrate it!?! Here’s hoping other things bring a smile to your face, some sunshine too! Oh….the screaming and screeching is horrendous, how can such a beautiful bird make such a hideous, terrifying sound??? Hugs, always. xxxx

      • Val Brumby

        Yes, it did occur to me that I should finally at least attempt to make that dream of writing and illustrating a children’s books come to fruition whether anyone reads it or not! Anyway, all the animal life and various goings on, both human and animal at your house are certainly inspiration for stories as well as drawings and painting ~ I have the utmost admiration for your consistent patience and abiding compassion for all living beings. You are a delight , an inspiration and a lovely unique lady. I want to comment more often, but since fracturing my back a couple of years ago, I still have ongoing problems and that prevents me from being online as much ~ moving around seems the best thing currently. But even if I do not always comment , I DO always look forward to your posts and avidly read them all. XXX. P.S. seeing that recent photo of your shed caused me to laugh, as it very much resembles mine, or did until a week or so ago ~ still more to unearth in there and it is daunting after you first get over the shock of all the stuff one has simply tossed in at any given moment ~ only to find a mountain has accumulated mysteriously come Spring. You just have to grit your teeth, gird your loins metaphorically speaking ,and get stuck in! It took me far less time than I anticipated ~ hopefully it will be the same for you with the shed. Hugs and much love and peace to you always. xxx (well.. as much as is possible with your clan! )

        • Snow Bird

          Oh, sending healing and positive vibes re your back, hoping you get stronger by the day! So glad to hear you are going to have a go a writing and illustrating a children’s story, I often plan on writing one but never get around to it! Thanks you SO much for such a wonderful comment, I don’t feel very inspirational though….just plodding onwards and upwards. Love and hugs to you.xxxx

          • Val Brumby

            XXXX. No doubt you do often feel you are simply plodding or taking five steps forward and ten back on some days, but you certainly seem to have a wonderfully positive attitude most of the time and that makes such an enormous difference to everything in life. much love to you and all your fur, feathered and human family.

  16. It sounds like Peanut is top of the pecking order in your garden … Tough for a gardener! One of the inner city suburbs in Canberra has a real problem with peacocks … Can’t be budged, tearing up gardens, & causing tension amongst neighbours…. So they are very dominant.
    Crossing fingers for you that she doesn’t start a family!!

    • Yes, that bird is the boss at the moment in the garden, I can’t believe she’s grazing on all my prize plants!!!
      Goodness, I didn’t realize that peacocks could gather in rural areas and take over, that is an eye opener for sure! Oh….her starting a family is my biggest fear, would she just abandon chicks at night and roost in the tree? They wouldn’t last two minutes with all the cats that hang around these gardens. Thanks Gerrie.xxx

  17. Oh, goodness, such a conundrum! You want her to be fed and cared for, safe, dry, and warm, but not necessarily by you, and not in your garden…but it sounds like you’ve readjusted your schedule and worked it out for all involved.

    I hope the pups, Curly, and Peanut can all relax and respect each other’s energy and space. Good luck with this, Dina!

    We have some peacocks upriver of us; when they screech, my blood curdles before I figure out what I just heard! I hope Peanut’s song is not that alarming.

    Peace and gentle peace to you all. If anyone can manage this menagerie, it’s you, dear Dina!

    • It’s odd how quickly you adjust to having another animal around isn’t it, I’m getting quite used to her being here now, hubs mowed the lawn yesterday and she simply carried on grooming herself in the veggie patch, not concerned at the noise at all!
      I am becoming fond of Peanut, well until she starts screaming….what an unholy racket, I totally get what you mean about the blood curdling!!!
      Thanks Kitty, love and hugs to one and all!xxx

  18. I have a real good laugh! You do have a good sense of humour. Such an enjoyable read. Thank you so much! She has found herself a good home. Hope everyone ( you and your pets ) would get used to having her around soon.

    • Good to have you smiling Jade, never a dull moment around here! Strangely enough, I’m actually getting used to, and, rather fond of that bird!xxx

  19. Ha I love your slant on things.
    It could only happen to you Dina.
    I am sure there is a road map to your house given to all birds animals that are lost or unhappy.

    I know about change of routine.
    Two young rooks have fallen out of the nest. They cannot fly but the parents are still feeding them. They hide amongst the greenery and until now have survived.
    Nella now walks the garden on a lead……….she is not happy.
    I do not know how long this will go on for but at least at some point it will sort out. As for your peacock I do not know…..oh dear!!!

    • I do think an invisible sign exists around here, guiding the critters, this garden seems to be a magnet for all sorts of odd creatures.
      Oh, I know how difficult it is when fledglings are on the ground around dogs, Poor Nella, I hope they fly soon, good to know they survived though, good for you looking out for them. Thanks Cheryl.xxx

  20. A most enjoyable, and fascinating, post and wonderful pictures. You sure do have a wonderful menagerie, and I do wonder whatever next. xx

  21. Surreal……Indeed! Not too much so if you are patient and tolerant enough to accommodate the shenanigans of Mother Nature…You seem to be… 😇 Delightful ‘read’, D! Good Luck. Hugs! 💕

    • Thanks Bushka, it’s odd how quickly you adapt isn’t it? I think I would miss that bird now if she left. Hugs.xxx

  22. Oh my, that last sentence made me laugh out loud. I don’t think you’re meant to have a lovely garden which is well stocked with plants, you just get everything sorted dog wise and then a peahen comes to stay. Life is never boring at your house.

    • Lol….her calling out puts the fear of God into me, she’s enough, I can happily live without a flock of peacocks! I don’t think I’m meant to have a picture perfect garden somehow….sighs….thanks Jo.xxx

  23. sheryl aka Freeasthewind

    How interesting. Sounds like she has it made with a softie like you. But, I must say I would be doing the same thing. Thank you for a sharing the interesting day with Peanut. Free

    • Thanks Sheryl, good to hear from you, hope all is well in your world. I think Peanut is doing exactly as wants whether I’m in favour or not! xxx

  24. veggiemummy

    I think she’s telling all her friends to come and join her. She’s obviously got a good thing going on at your house. Food aplenty – although she’s probably appreciate a few more succulents(!), and someone to protect her from any unwanted interference. She seems quite a character and it never occurred to me that they would roost in trees! Happy peahen wrangling! xx

    • Ha! She will have to do without the succulents! I am beginning to hear an answering call…..oh my!
      I didn’t realize peacocks roosted in trees either, she always settles in the exact same spot. Thanks Veggiemummy.xxx

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