Parking Lot Picnic

A squirrel and a crowd of juvenile grackles were gathered around a generous pile of what appeared to be dry puppy chow in the parking lot this morning here in central Texas. They were eating with enthusiasm. Earlier, adult birds were dining, but now, the adolescents were having their turn. What intrigued me that I hadn't seen before was that the youngsters were feeding each other. One would have its beak open, and another would carefully drop a morsel into its beak. They were taking turns, over and over. Maybe when the food supply is so plentiful, they can have fun sharing.

When I returned later in the day in the afternoon summer heat, the corvid diners were still hanging around. I carried some of the remaining food to a grassy spot, concerned about vehicle traffic and about the temperature of the dark, paved lot. Some birds have burned their feet standing for long on such a hot surface.