Mr. P Peacock, Cote Preserve

A few days ago, we attended a friend's lovely graduation party for a high school senior, and in the course of masked conversation, I was asked if I knew the identity of the "evening screamer"—an odd noise that the questioner couldn't place. Turns out I'd heard it, too, and I determined that the noisemaker was, believe it or not, a male Peacock. These splendid gentlemen have an exceedingly loud and piercing shriek that can carry for a half mile, and several people on the ridge have raised peafowl over the years. Most of the birds have escaped and fallen prey, sooner or later, to predators, but some manage to thrive in the wild. Clearly, we had a live one, and on a quick late afternoon trip to the nearby Cote refuge, I happened upon this very species of magnificence. The amazing bird wasn't being cooperative for the photographer, and he remained quiet. As soon as dusk arrived, the Peacock turned up the volume.