Yard security log

On the 27th, all four squirrels were active

A female cardinal was attacked by a crow. This
is unusual and contrary to procedure.

Attempts to interview participants were unsuccessful

(one fled,

the other resolutely stood by its original story CAW)

A falcon was glimpsed on high. No piercing shriek
by the falcon. That was me. My attempt to engage
the falcon in this way failed of success.

The same three sandhill cranes (see many
prior entries) were glimpsed

in their habitual occupation - beak-stabbing
for unspecified grub (possibly grubs?)
down in the common depression. This time,
not coming up the rise to the yard. Therefore
not properly part of our concern (the hawk, note,
flew directly over the yard, or clearly had done
so). As always, striking dramatically extravagant
poses - possibly unintentional, owing to a long,
graceful proportion in lines of beak and body,

I ignored them. Come to the yard if you want!
I will track and watch you closely, then. Otherwise,
your doings are your own. Peace be unto you, tall
cool birds.

A cat, though
came through, pretending ownership of the area
- typical of felines. This is probably a sort
of self-deceit essential to them in the wild,
where area ownership is in any case a nebulous
concept, open to contention every moment. Still,
this cat exemplified the trait. A detectably haughty
grace of carriage and motion was noted. Nothing
actually hunted, but many hunt-like poses struck:
freeze in place mid-stride. Hunker down
with tell-tale twitch at very end of tail
held out mostly motionless behind, all poses
aborted without pounce. I realized
how the cat flowed then paused then flowed
from one pose to the next - an epiphany?

I paid particular attention to the cat,
since I hadn't seen it or her or him
before (mustn't investigate) (gender
is irrelevant to my purpose with a
feline), so naturally I was curious.
Not in a way to kill the cat! My curiosity
is searchingly benign. I seek to observe
nature only, or occasionally provoke it

with poor-quality imitations of its calls. As
a test. Yet

this cat

outdid even the usual temerity of its species!
It had the special temerity to perch and pose
at one point
directly atop the yard security log!
Which,

true to its main purpose,
did nothing. The log

is primarily a deterrent.

It is possible
we need a bigger log