Hello, Wayne et al.
In Oklahoma, barn martins are well-known to pick up drones, flying around
apiaries, so much so that I know of one keeper getting rid of his martin
houses he had initially set up to rid of mosquitoes around his home.
In my case, I have seen a pair of mockingbirds pick up drones. This
particular pair nests along the pocket of woods on my ten-acre property,
where I have been maintaining two yards, both enveloped by tall trees,
forcing the bees to shoot straight up for their taking off and initial
approach on three sides. Given the option most of my bees take off
through one open area (East Runway) although on their return flight, they
seem to descend, like airliners’ approach toward initial fix in a stacking
formation, circling and whirling toward their homes. During their
orientation flight, the wood is abuzz with their shock and awe display: a
thick smoke of bees tornadoing around the apiaries. (I enjoy watching
them nearly every afternoon; I cannot believe that my March 1 walk-away
splits have grown stronger than the parent colonies).
It is during this approach period, especially when a strong gust shooting
all the way up from the Gulf of Mexico throws them off athwart, catching
them in the swirl and pockets of eddies, however momentarily, when the
mockingbirds, alight on the high branch, dart and catch fat drones for a
snack. According to my observations, once thrown off by the gust, drones
seem to have, however inadvertently, made themselves available as an easy
pick. Disgusted by the sight, particularly the ease of the picking, I
tried to discourage the birds, like a fool, throwing stones at them and
scaring them away. But somehow these mockingbirds have learned to come
out only in the afternoon when the drones are available. Of course, there
are, I hazard guess, hundreds of drones buzzing around in every afternoon;
nevertheless, when the wind is calm, even drones prove themselves to be a
better flyers. Probably knowing this, the birds are often absent on those
calm days.
Yoon
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