It must be spring already!

Several months ago I wrote about standing on my front porch and watching Larry, my pigeon, mate with his girlfriend. I guess it was his girlfriend, but I had never seen her here before. It was beautiful to watch all the foreplay which consisted of a lot of dancing around, but the actual mating was just a matter of seconds. They flew away immediately afterward and I never saw them again. I was devastated, but I eventually got over it.

The other day I was standing in the same place on my porch and witnessed two mourning doves that live here doing the mating thing. I didn’t witness much foreplay as I guess I didn’t get out there at the right time. But when they got to the mating part, it lasted only about two seconds. What is it with these birds anyway?

So after that I came in and decided to get on my treadmill. I sometimes watch Animal Planet while I’m working out, and this morning the program was about the mating habits of crocodiles! I just couldn’t get away from the mating thing. Of course I watched it, and it was very interesting but extremely scary. The male crocodile opens his mouth wide, and that in itself is terrifying as he has such big teeth and so many of them. He then snaps it shut which makes a loud bang to attract the females. I don’t understand that at all, but then I’m not a crocodile. The females are very territorial and don’t let unwanted males around, but they also signal if they’re in the mood. They open their mouths really, really wide, showing all their huge teeth, and keep it that way for a while. It is horrifying! I’ve never seen anything like it. The whole thing almost made me fall off the treadmill! I guess the actual mating part takes place under water and goes on for hours . . . even days.They are such huge animals and so extremely ugly that it’s difficult to even think about sex after watching them. In fact, the whole thing gave me a headache which seemed quite appropriate for the situation!