www.sidandlisa.net

The Backyard Zoo

By

Jim Dunlap

"Shrike Stoned"

Stop the presses! I just came in from the front door here at the Science Learning Center where I found the usual two or three boxes containing birds in need. One of the boxes had a note. For clarity and understanding I will quote verbatim: 

"To The Outdoor Learning Centers Personell.

We found this bird on the ground and It had a broken wing. Oh by the way. We got the bird really stoned. When I say "stoned" I mean that we blew Marijuana smoke in It’s box. We thought that if wouldn’t feel the Pain if it was High. Take care of the bird.

See Marijana isn’t bad. And neither are the people who smoke It."

This last line was preceded by some fancy artwork of the Cannabis sativa plant.

The box contained an adult loggerhead shrike. This little gray, black and white bird has a hooked beak and hawklike behavior. They often impale their prey on thorns or barbed wire and are sometimes referred to as "butcher birds." They dine on insects, lizards, small mice, and baby birds. The box also contained several slices of bologna. This is alarmingly close to the proper diet.

Interesting side note here, the camera shows the person sitting the box on the cage. He then turned, approached the front door, and promptly ran right into it! Spelling, grammar, and behavior of the author are fully explained in the note.

To whom it may concern: Thank you for saving the bird. The box and note are waiting for pickup by the lab. The surveillance camera photos are being printed. We will thank you in person very soon.

Contact Jim Dunlap, director of the Holifield Science Learning Center of Plano Independent School District, 3100 Shiloh Road, at 469-752-1194 or jdunlap@pisd.edu.

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