Was over at our parks Olympic sized heated pool at 06:55 AM this morning. Had the place to myself as usual on a Sunday,..only heathen Yankees go there then ! ( smile ) Saw the bright yellow/orange sunrise shortly after swimming my 1st lap, ( the only resident who swims laps, all the others shuttle back & forth across the shallow end ), and was enthralled as usual by that glorious sight.
That's when I've noticed over the years that the birds, silent all night, begin to start chirping. Never get tired of that either.
I read recently that some " expert " says the birds start chirping to warn other birds " This is my territory, so stay clear ! " I choose to believe otherwise, - that the birds are chirping to celebrate the dawn of another great day,..chatting with their bird-friends, " Hey, we made it to another one ! " ( smile )
On this particular morning I was resting against the shallow end wall between laps when I heard a loud CAW, CAW, CAW, - looked up and saw 4 or 5 rather large black crows standing in line along the ridge of the nearby clubhouse's big metal roof. He'd squawk,..then a few seconds later, a reply CAW, CAW, CAW from behind me, across the lake ! I watched this exchange for a minute or two, then decided to get into the act. The next call out from the guy nearby was answered BY ME ! I bellowed out a loud CAW, CAW, CAW reply in my best crow imitation. The guy on the roof looks down briefly, then the distant reply from his friend across the lake. A minute goes by and the nearby guy lets loose another loud squawk,.. I reply in kind, the big crow looks down again, - then, having had enough, he leaps into the air, fliew a few yards east, then makes a sharp left hand turn and dives RIGHT AT ME, - just like an Avenger in WW 2 dive bombing a Jap cruiser off Leyte !!
My jaw dropped as he flew down, levelled off at about 8 feet over my head, then shot a big white blob of bird poo RIGHT AT ME, - plopped into the pool water, ONLY MISSING ME BY 3 FEET !!! Then he flapped his wings faster, gained altitude as he flew away to the west. I started cursing him and shaking my fist as I looked at him fly away. Then it happened, - as he left, gaining altitude, I saw a large black feather lift up from his big starboard wing, fluttering in the air a few seconds. HE HAD GIVEN ME THE " FEATHER " !!!
I was stunned, mouth dropped open but was voiceless !

So, what has this got to do with gardening you ask ? When I got home an hour later, mumbling to myself, I showered, dressed, had breakfast and immediately went out to work in my raised bed banana patch,..striving to gradually transfer over from Goldfinger's to Ice Cream's. I was energized by my recent encounter and promptly transplanted 2 Ice Cream banana pups then dug up & threw out 3 big Goldfinger banana pups ! Still fuming, but trying hard to put that birds attack out of my mind !!!

Think I'll keep my mouth shut next time I'm at the pool & not interrupt ! Just look, and admire,..no hard feelings at all ! lol