Mr. Bird leaves home

I heard thunder at sunset and the usual sound of Mr. Bird being vocally alarmed.

Except Mr. Bird sounded far away. And it was nearly dark!

As the sun set, we checked repeatedly, but no Mr. Bird appeared in our yard. His perch was empty.

This morning, as I drove to work, I had noticed him blocks from home, at the corner of Victoria Park and 18th Street. At the time, I thought: Wow, I don't remember seeing Mr. Bird this far away.

After dark, David and I decided to go for a peacock hunt. We walked Victoria Park to 18th Street, then took a right at the first street, so we were parallel to Victoria Park road on the other side of that canal.

As we reached Pionsettia Heights (the street that runs along the river and is the extension of 21st St. on the other side of the canal) David spotted him.

Mr. Bird stood atop a roof at the end of the street ( a house with the river in the back yard.) We watched for awhile, and eventually he settled into a semi-comfy position where we imagined he'd be OK for the night.

Did he go in search of the other peacocks (who have not been spotted for days)? Did he purposely go in search of a new perch or did he get lost as it got late?

We're worried he won't find his way back to our house. David plans to set the alarm for 6 a.m. and, armed with bird food, we will find him and entice him back to our block. David has visions of capturing and carrying him back. I have visions of leaving a four-block-long trail of bird food.

We're both nuts, right?