Postcard (2) from the Edge ... of Wildlife

I've really enjoyed getting "out and about" in Blacksburg, VA the last week and on many of my travels I've encountered a
number of animals. (And no, most of them weren't all drunken college students at the football game.)
For example, the sound of rustling leaves yesterday along the Blue Ridge Parkway scared my sister and I near-senseless while we were snapping photos of the sunset. Who can tell if it's going to be a white-tailed deer or a black bear, you know? It could be either, no guarantees. (In our case, it was the harmless deer, two of them actually, but still close enough to give you a scare.)

But on my near-daily walks, most out on the Huckleberry Trail that spans some six miles between Blacksburg and Christianburg, the next town over, I've seen lots of wildlife. Yesterday, a red Cardinal flew right across in front of me - I could practically see the little comb on his head-cool! The trail is also home to countless squirrels, cows (don't ask me which breed-couldn't tell ya), sparrows, and more. Then up on Mountain Lake Road, two large winged pheasants, took their sweet time crossing the road in front of my car. Well, they were either winged pheasants or wild turkeys. They were so big and so close and my memory of the last bird-watching book I thumbed through just wasn't sharp enough to distinguish between the two as I was crawling along in second gear praying I'd reach the bottom of the winding road alive. (I hate roads like that! Trust me, the bird-watching was the only redeeming factor about it.)

But beyond that, I've also seen plenty of Hokie birds. Ah yes, that would be the official mascot of Virginia Tech. If I understand correctly, there really is no such thing as a Hokie bird in real life, and it's some sort of cross between a wild turkey and I'm not sure what else. Or maybe the college used to have some other weird nickname for its mascot until the Hokie bird somehow just took over? Whatever.

Here's the nutty part: These birds are on nearly every corner. Life-size, fiberglass sculpture birds painted wild colors and donated/funded by various businesses. You know, the type we all got pretty used to as part of Horses on Parade, then Deer on Parade, followed by Animals on Parade? Anyway, guess what similar take-pride-in-our-city campaign apparently swept through Blacksburg not long ago? Hokie Birds on Parade. Ok, I'm not sure that's the official name, but that's what I'm calling it. I know a fiberglass sculpture parade when I see it. I've seen a granite-clad Hokie bird, one wearing a tuxedo, another playing bagpipes, etc. etc. Yes, I see y'all rolling your eyes! (Even from 400 miles away.)

The one redeeming trait of these birds is that I am taller than they are -- I think.
Hmmm, it would appear I was mistaken.