Sunday, June 19, 2011

Invasion!!!

Many of you that have followed this blog for some time might recall our frustration with the neighbors peacocks calling all hours of the night. We built the new addition just so we could enjoy the night breeze and sounds with the windows open. These ^%$# birds call every 15 minutes all night long during the males mating season 4-5 months a year. Yes they are very loud even though they are 150 yards away from our bedroom window.

Yesterday mid morning I heard a call that seemed extra loud from the living room. After 3-4 called a walked into the bedroom and looked out the window. There in the old shed roof not 15 foot away was a peafowl on the shed roof! Then she jumped into the fenced yard we let the dogs out into. I had just let out Daisy our B dog, she saw the peafowl and looked at me all scared like..... I took a few photos then noticed the male peacock on the other side of the fence. Took a few more photos and went and woke up Dot the Wonder Dog sleeping in the living room.

Dot is a 15 yo Jack Russel Terrier and was known to terrorize Meg's chickens in her past. I got Dot to follow me outside into the fenced yard with the peafowl in the yard and the peacock looking in. Dot is now nearly blind, she never caught on to the peacocks at all. Finally I scared it into flying over the fence and both went back home. Funny first thing this morning when I let Dot outside she ran to the gate and barked like crazy at nothing.



 These two photos were taken with the camera that I though was broken a month ago!
A little more about the neighborhood peacocks. Apparently there is three home owners nearby all with peacocks. My neighbor Beth had different peacocks staring in their windows at night. They set up motion activated sprinklers to keep them away. Another neighbor grows and sells produce, their new greenhouse had peacocks perching on it tearing the plastic. They shot one and I think the dog killed one. Yesterday was the first time our neighbors peacocks had left the property and came onto ours as far as I know.

I told Meg about this invasion and she was a bit shocked.

16 comments:

ann said...

Peafoul may be beautiful, but their calls are awful. Our My friend's uncle had peacocks and hens on his farm. We could hear them a mile away, screaming: "help me help me." I hope you find a way to deal with your invaders.

Les said...

You may not want to read this, but at my parents house there is an escaped colony in the woods. The last time they enjoyed domesticity was almost 50 years ago.

F Cameron said...

I know the sound too well. Hope they stay away from your place.

tina said...

So frustrating. I hope they move on soon!

Karen said...

Oh, for cryin' out peacock-loud! Our friends had peacocks for awhile and that awful yell was enough to make your hair stand on end. I think I told you earlier her now ex-husband liked to keep them to annoy his neighbors which makes him an extra-large jerk in my book.

And what's with them hollering and rummaging around at night? Even chicken/roosters have the decency to shut up at night. Peacocks apparently can see in the dark? Oh, boy, it just gets better.

And the one time you want your dog to chase something; 'Go ahead, you have my blessing, BITE it!' he can't find it...I can't tell you how many times I've tried pointing something out to one of my dogs (even the big ones) and they are off running and barking in the opposite direction while I find a stick and go do battle on my own.

If something 'mysteriously' happened to the interlopers on your property, who would be the wiser? Too bad you can't fight fire with fire, but what tops a blood-curdling scream in the middle of restful sleep? Hmmmm...off to do a little thinking here...

Curbstone Valley Farm said...

When we moved here we considered getting Guinea Fowl (for tick control), but like peacocks their call is enough to make your hair stand on end. Eventually we settled on chickens, and even though we have a rooster...who crows often...I'd still rather listen to that than Guinea or Pea Fowl!

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Oh man, I know how loud those peacocks & hen are.....would have been a rough night! Release the hounds..............

Mary C. said...

that sucks. They are beutiful birds but not really meant for pets if you ask me. Your neighbors are setting you up for a future infestation. Up on the hill not very far from where I live some peacocks were kept ages ago I think to harvest the tail feathers and now they are a large colony in an urban neighborhood. A lot of controversy on what to do about them. At the moment they are protected by municipal law but there is a strong movement to change that.

Emily said...

I had some for years, that sound at night can drive you insane, they seem to really only make it when separated at night from their mate. I put some old mirrors in the woods down the hill away from the house. They liked to go down there and admire themselves.
Maybe you could take up archery, a taxidemy India Blue would bring a bundle on e-bay.

Andrea said...

hahaha, i can fully relate with you Ryan and Meg. Before i was living on the 4th floor of a building, and there were peacock fowls on the other side of the vacant lot next to the building. I love watching them sometimes but they really are very noisy. I stayed there a few years, and finally got used to their noise! I am so amused with the comment above that you study archery! I love it.

greggo said...

too bad there not tasty.

Chloe m said...

They would never survive in my neck of the woods because the coyotes and mountain lions would take them down. You need some natural predators!
How annoying.

Victoria Williams said...

That's crazy. I know peacocks are pretty to see but all that racket would drive me nuts.

sweetbay said...

That sucks. :( I remember Gail's tribulations with the peahen that showed up and would wake her every morning at 6 for breakfast.

Bonnie K said...

You have my sympathy! My grandpa had those miserable birds. I hated them! Their call made my skin crawl. Hopefully they will meet their demise. Maybe you need to buy a very large hawk:)

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