Something fowl in Palos Verdes
I was enjoying a startingly beautiful sunset at a friend's house on the Palos Verdes Peninsula
the other night. We were enjoying a glass of wine and watching a dolphin dancing in the water.
All of a sudden, I heard this horrible screaming sound. It sounded horrible. It sounded like somebody was pulling the hair out of a child's head. It sounded exactly like my dog, but multiplied by a hundred.
What's that ghastly sound? I asked my friend.
"Oh," she said, "that's just the peafowl. They do that all the time."
It seems that others have noticed the noise (and the constant pooping too). My colleague Melissa Pamer has an article about the horrible animals. They're causing problems again in Rancho Palos Verdes. Here's the start:
While some locals appreciate their rich coloring and luxuriant plumage, other complain about their ear-splitting shrieks and copious excrement.
Today, peacocks and peahens are back in the spotlight on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, where the birds have been known to ruffle feathers.
The Rancho Palos Verdes City Council tonight will consider what to do about the creatures known collectively as peafowl.
In recent years, the city has seen an uptick in complaints about the birds. A recent peafowl "census" showed the population up 53 percent since a count in 2000.
While some locals appreciate their rich coloring and luxuriant plumage, other complain about their ear-splitting shrieks and copious excrement.
Today, peacocks and peahens are back in the spotlight on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, where the birds have been known to ruffle feathers.
The Rancho Palos Verdes City Council tonight will consider what to do about the creatures known collectively as peafowl.
In recent years, the city has seen an uptick in complaints about the birds. A recent peafowl "census" showed the population up 53 percent since a count in 2000.
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About the Bloggers
Daily Breeze reporter Donna Littlejohn has shared her homes with a succession of wonderful, funny, and occasionally difficult canines -- Muffin, Fritz, Ellie, Mercy, Pilgrim and now Cowboy, an Australian shepherd-border collie, and Tess, a border collie. From strong-willed terriers to weirdly obsessed Australian shepherds, they've invaded her world with boundless energy, wet noses, muddy paws and soggy tennis balls. But they've really brought so much more than that -- like laughter and joy, some unexpected life lessons, and more than a few tears along the way.
E-mail Donna at donna.littlejohn@dailybreeze.com.
Josh Grossberg grew up with the usual array of animals: goldfish, dogs, hamsters, parakeets and turtles. He now owns the loudest dog in the South Bay(Video: Rocket the Dog) and is the least popular person on his block. He spends his free time in dog parks, pet shops and always has an extra plastic bag in his pocket just in case. He also has a cat.
E-mail Josh at josh.grossberg@dailybreeze.com.
No, never
From the Friends of the Peacock website -
http://www.friendsofthepeacock.org/
Peafowl usually squawk to warn each other of danger and during mating season to attract a mate. There is no telling when danger may approach but we do know that mating season lasts around May to June. During this time (1-2 months) peafowl do squawk at night.
Sorry Josh, but I'd like to see your dancing skills and eavesdrop on some of your pickup lines before I accept your judgement on the natural mating call of this beautiful bird. We've got them here on Point Dume and I enjoy them immensely, have gone to bat for them when our Newbie residents get riled up every spring. It's a seasonal thing, and I appreciate acknowledging the natural drive to propagate among the different species in our midst.
P.S. I shouldn't have been so harsh, you might be a fabulous dancer and your writing suggests that you would NEVER use a tacky pick up line.