Trudy Reigns

I love to learn about animals. Sometimes you have to watch them a long time. And sometimes there are instant lessons.

I thought Trudy the female peafowl was a mental mess. There she sits on top of the horse shed. She's been there for what? 3 months? Poor thing doesn't even know she has no eggs.

But no. I learned this evening that Trudy is the queen of this place, and the horse shed roof is her throne. She sees all and knows all, and if something is not to her liking, she takes care of it immediately.

I was watering the flowers, the orange kitty was sitting by my feet. When Trudy went swooping off the roof into the back yard, he flattened out on the lawn like a pancake. "Ha Ha," I said, "do you think she's a raptor or something? That's just Trudy."

The cat knew better.

Trudy gobbled some food in the back yard and grabbed a drink, then came back to the front yard. The cat hadn't moved a muscle when she started toward us.

"Hi Trudy!" I called, glad to see her.

She swooped right past me, almost under the walker I was sitting in, to get the cat. The cat scatted, with her hot on his tail. He finally found a place where she couldn't follow him, and she turned around and strutted back to her throne.

I'm beginning to think I've figured out how the cat got his eye hurt and the end of his ear snipped off. And why he stays out of the back yard, even though it's a mouse play area.

And if Trudy ever does hatch babies, I won't worry so much about predators smaller than a mountain lion. And it's no wonder Rudy runs when he sees her coming.