The alarm clock

Ever since I can remember (growing up in a part of England with a few old castles and stately homes helps) I've been familiar with the really rather obnoxious call of Pavio cristatus, the common peafowl. I wasn't really expecting to hear one here (although my field guide indicates escapes are fairly common in the WIndies) but for the past couple of months I've been hearing at least two and more likely three calling at certain times of the day. In other words my alarm clock has moved up in class a little from the feral roosters that populate the island. They obviously hang deep in the woods though as they managed to avoid my sight until this chap walked across the road in front of my car earlier this week.

I turned round and drove back up the drive for my camera and grabbed these pics of him preparing to roost for the evening. Roosting off the ground is a behaviour that would naturally protect these birds against tigers and stuff but here takes them away from photographers and overambitious mongooses. I've no idea where they came from but they're pretty wary and they are obviously leading fairly happy lives looking at this chap's fine tail.

I lost the best of the light in the time it took me to collect the camera but nonetheless I'm pleased with these. I think they show the ridiculousness of such a big bird in a tree well and I'm pleased I finally got to see my 5:30am wake up call.