A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Two Unusual Visitors

I found this fellow while sitting on my front porch the other night. It was a hot night and the air was so still and muggy. I didn't sit there long and I turned to go into the house and there he was. He didn't move at all when I touched him. We used to find these when I was a kid. We called them "Walking Sticks" As its name suggests, the stick insect resembles the twigs among which it lives, providing it with one of the most efficient natural camouflages on Earth. They generally mimic their surroundings in color, normally green or brown, although some species are brilliantly colored and others conspicuously striped. Many stick insects have wings, some spectacularly beautiful, while others resemble little more than a stump. They will pretend to be dead and may loose a limb to avoid being captured. I just left him there and he was gone in the morning. We have found these before...always near the front porch. I wonder why? I went into the house and sat down to watch TV. Joe called out and told me to look at the deck railing. "What is that bird? Some kind of a hawk?" I looked closer and found that it was a pigeon. Joe wanted to get the grill covered before dark, but I asked him to wait and we could watch the bird. We watched it slowly moving along the rail. When he came to the feeder...he didn't seem to know how to get to the seed. He teetered precariously off the deck and onto the feeder. He wobbled and the feeder was swinging. Joe went out to cover the grill and the bird just stayed there. He was wary of Joe, but wanted to eat. Finally I went out with my camera...he just sat there and posed. I noticed a band on his leg. I wondered where he belonged. He ate his fill and took off.
Two unusual visitors that day. The "stick bug" is gone....but the pigeon that I have named "Herbie" continues to come and he stays until he is full. He shares with the other birds and seems so gentle. I wonder about his life. Where did he come from? Is he lost?
Balisha

5 comments:

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

How exciting - I love special visitors.
Great pictures.

Margie's Musings said...

How interesting, Balisha.

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

I suspect he/she is a homing pigeon because of the band. Lost..well..if it's a homing pigeon then it wouldn't get lost would it? That sweet bird likes your home...no doubt about it. A pretty bird. Really pretty.

The stick bug..oh gee...Balisha..I know I should not dislike bugs. I know that and yet I really don't care for them a bit. Odd looking creature..but then I would probably look awfully odd to him too. :)
Have a wonderful Wednesday. I it reached about 105 today...hotter tomorrow they say! Sigh...my plants. I must get my Fall flowers planted as they are sitting all over the patio...

Hugs,
Mona

garden girl said...

I've only rarely seen walking sticks. They sure are curious creatures Balisha.

I don't think I've ever seen a pigeon out in the country - very unusual indeed! Growing up in Chicago, there were pigeons everywhere. Their variations in color always amazed me. I can't think of another bird species with so many possible color combinations.

Lynn said...

I have never seen a walking stick before, how cool that is!!!