Neighbors
I was taking a break from moving this morning when I saw an immense tiger swallowtail butterfly land on a leaf outside the office window and spread its wings to bask. Real museum-quality specimen; David found the binoculars and we got a close-up look.
An hour or so later, Dream got up on David’s desk and started scratching frantically at the window. I figured a bird had landed in the wisteria, but no—Dream had found a little brown bat, tucked up to sleep between our ill-fitting storm windows and the inside windows. I thought I’d heard something thumping around in there last night; now I know what it was.
Our batly neighbor can’t get in, can get out, and where he is he’s quite harmless except to insect life, so I’m inclined to let him be. Dream was contemplating climbing into the air-conditioning vent in hopes it would lead to the bat, but he eventually gave up in disgust.
The bird life is mostly robins, sparrows, starlings, doves, and cardinals, but I’ve seen a yellow-shafted flicker. And coming home from a restaurant run a week or so ago, we found several hop-toads hopping about the grounds.
Shame about the condo management here, truly, because I do like the neighbors.