Gulls and Drones

Tin Bird cockpit monologue: Motion detected. Two biological interceptors. Larus. Territorial aggression.
Gull 1: Here comes that tin bird again.
Gull 2: This is wrong. Invasion of our airspace.
Gull 1: Same again? Dive at it? 
Gull 2: Good to go.
Gull 1: Skraa! Charge! Dive!
Gull 2: Kree! Too fast, missed.
Gull 1: Ka! Wind shifted.
Gull 2: Ka-Ka! Tin Bird saw the wind shear coming.
Gull 1: Skram! This OUR territory. BUZZ OFF.
Gull 2: Yah! Feathers forever.

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Voice-over
Tin Bird memo: Larus fly aggressively and are not stupid. But they are emotional.

Philip the Parrot

The parrot greets Antonio with a “Hello”
Antonio: Hello Philip. Charming fellow. What else can he say?
Jerome: "How are you?", "I'm hungry," "What's your name?", "Goodbye," and "See you later."
Antonio: Impressivo! How do you teach him?
Jerome: Repetition, reward, and lots of patience.
Antonio: A satisfying companion.
Jerome: And sometimes demanding. Loves attention.
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Voice-over
Some parrots are said to have the cognitive ability of a two-year-old human child. And the needs.

White-faced Heron

Big bird lands on the lawn…

Ronda: A white-faced heron! Such an elegant neck and way of walking.

Sophie: Absolutely graceful. I wonder if it's a migratory bird. It flew up from the estuary.

Ronda: Hmm. Some heron species do migrate. But I read that the white-faced heron came from Australia in the early 20^th century. And settled. This one doesn't seem shy at all, does it? Maybe it's used to humans.

Sophie: Yeah, it's possible. Seems quite comfortable here. Look, it’s perched high up on the pergola.

Ronda: It does seem to enjoy that spot. Nice having such beautiful visitors around.

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Voice-over

White-faced herons came to New Zealand from Australia in the early 20th century. They are now the most common heron in the country.

Crow Attack on Garbage

Quiet street, neighbor appears…

Taeko: Ohayo gozaimasu.

Matt: Oh. Sorry about this mess. I just put the bag out 30 minutes ago and already the crows… 

Taeko: They’re quick at this time of year. Getting cold. Getting hungry. You can use a net to cover the bag.

Matt: Like a fishing net or something?

Taeko: Hardware stores have them. Karasu net.

Matt: I’ll get one. Don’t want to mess up the street.

Taeko: We all have to take care.

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Voice-over

And thus a Japanese problem is amicably resolved. Matt is learning.

Charging birds tree rent

Looking up into a tree…

Peter Finch: It’s a nest.

Petunia Lark: Inhabited?

Peter Finch: Yes. Look. Eager beaks.

Petunia Lark: Didn’t see it before. I should charge them rent. It’s my garden, after all. How long have they been there do you think?

Peter Finch: They take a week to make the nest, a couple of weeks to hatch the eggs, a couple of weeks to fly. Stay with the parents for a couple more weeks then they chase away the chicks to start their own lives.

Petunia Lark: Five weeks rent. Do they use the nest again? Can I keep it? Should I trash it?

Peter Finch: Very clean birds. They make a new nest for each brood. You can keep it as a memento of their visit.

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Voice-over

Zosterops japonicas: gregarious, inquisitive, monogamous birds. Take care not to disturb them too much when nesting.

...

Falcons and Aprons

Falconry lives again at Mitaka…

Al: Is it a falcon?

Takahiro: To be honest, no. It’s an owl.

Al: What do you call it?

Takahiro: Hoot.

Al: Why do you wear an apron?

Takahiro: Hunting with falcons, you wear an apron. I’m practicing.

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Voice-over

Owls are a gentle way of getting into falconry.

...

A hundred thousand swifts

Outside a disused shophouse, Aerial is intrigued by swooping swifts.

...

Aerial: Is it a swallow?
 Azmera: It’s a swift. Every morning at 6 they fly out, and every evening at 6 they return. A hundred thousand of them.
Aerial: A hundred thousand. They go in and out where?
Azmera: See that window? A hundred thousand of them squeeze through that twice a day.
Aerial: Don’t they bump each other?
Azmera: They have radar. Like bats.
Aerial: Why do you keep them?
Azmera: I harvest their nests. The nests are made of swift saliva. Sell them to Hong Kong for bird’s nest soup.
Aerial: Don’t the swifts mind you taking their nests?
Azmera: I take the disused nests. They only live for a year.
Aerial: They die in their nests?
Azmera: Never seen a dead swift. Nobody knows where swifts die.

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Voice-over
Like the cleaning of a swift nest to prepare for sale, Aerial reveals the surprises of swifts asking a what, a where, a how, a why and then a moral probe followed by Azmera’s justification. 

...

Bird play

Francis talks to a gull.

...

Francis: You’re playing, aren’t you.

Gull: Rao.

Francis: Just playing on the updraft.

Gull: Rao.

Francis: Play? Usually means amusement for humans. Play usually has a serious purpose for animals. Perhaps you’re playing to practice flying skills?

Gull: Wheee.

Francis: But when would you need to fly upside down? No purpose in that. Just fun. Playing, definitely playing.

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Voiceover

Man talks to bird. Correction. Man talks himself through bird. Is that the basis of anthropomorphism?

A dialogue with oneself leads to revelation. Correction. Depending on the dialogue, depending on the self addressed, a self-interview MIGHT lead to some understanding.

...