The peahen's arrival - and prolonged stay - have proven a mystery until this past weekend.
It started with one large, loose feather on her left wing. The feather stuck out awkwardly all day while she groomed and groomed until it eventually fell out. Not what you imagine when you think "peacock" feather but it was large and strong - what you would imagine ideal when crafting a quill pen.
Two days later a second feather was seen sticking out of the same wing. Groom, groom, it came loose and we added it to our small but growing Summer Fence feather collection.
The next day, this past Sunday, we saw a third feather poking out of the peahen's wing and I wondered allowed, "Maybe she was injured and her wing is healing and that's why she doesn't fly too far away."
The third feather dropped shortly thereafter and I went out to examine it. Unlike the two previous feathers, this one had a nub and the quill was soft and flimsy. And then I saw something else: bright red drops of fresh blood dotting the patio.
But Summer Fence seemed fine and the bleeding didn't last long. The kids worried about the blood and to calm them, I said that last feather must have been like a scab coming off - it bled a little, but stopped real quick to heal.
The mystery remains however... What happened to the peahen's wing? Was she part of a flock spotted in our area? Did they get attacked by a feral dog or coyote, she injured and separated from the others?
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