Meep Meep

The RoadRunner (from the series:  They Move Amongst Us)

Despite Warner Bros’ relentless propaganda, this legendary adversary of Wile E Coyote, never says “meep-meep” - at least not when I’m around. Roadrunners are native to Texas and (as the photo testifies) one lives locally. I drove behind one on a country road once and it never ran faster than about 20 mph, but run it did. There are foxes locally, but they don’t ever get close to this bird - it has graced our neighbourhood for at least a couple of years.

Every now and then, it wonders onto our deck, where cardinals and hummingbirds come to feed. RoadRunners are flightless members of the Cuckoo family. They walk and they run, and they even sprint. This particular one is capable of leaping 16 ft down from the veranda, but it can’t fly.