The Gazette returns for its third issue with developments of seasonal consequence. The crowing bird has been identified. The fox has not simplified matters. Several deer appear to be testing the limits of private property and restaurant delivery infrastructure. Two rabbits have arrived without naming documentation.
As June settles over Lauraville, we note the expected increase in cross-species activity. Dogs are sniffing. Cats are hunting. Pigeons are appearing in unexpected colors. A fledgling has been rescued and judged to be ungrateful-looking.
Summer has not yet officially begun, and already the neighborhood is behaving strangely. The Gazette advises readers to remain alert. Warmer weather is known to bring out certain impulses.
It is with great pleasure that we can confirm that ten independent submissions were made to this issue by residents. The Gazette thanks all correspondents for their vigilance, discernment, and willingness to report matters others might have allowed to pass without public record.
The neighborhood, as ever, is alive with questions and we encourage additional reporting for our upcoming issue.
— The EditorsIn last month's issue, this publication reported on a crowing bird near Echodale and Gibbons whose species remained in dispute. At the time, one resident believed the animal to be a rooster. Another suggested a cockatiel. The Gazette noted, correctly, that these are very different animals.
A new correspondent has now come forward with investigative findings.
After what the source describes as "many months" of inquiry into a crowing sound believed possibly to belong to a peacock, the bird has been identified as an African Grey Parrot. According to the report, the parrot's household wheels its cage onto a back porch on sunny days, at which time the bird addresses the neighborhood.
Out of respect for the family, the full address has been withheld.
The Gazette considers the matter significantly clarified, though not entirely closed. The parrot's motives remain unknown. Its schedule appears weather-dependent. Its willingness to continue crowing has not been disputed.
The bird has not submitted comment, however The Gazette awaits eagerly for more information and, ideally, a photo of the creature.
Last month, this publication received a letter addressed to Foxy, a local fox observed during morning and afternoon hours. The letter raised questions regarding insomnia, roommates, and possible magnesium supplementation.
The Gazette has now received further correspondence from White Avenue, which the submitter notes is "not technically Lauraville." The editorial board acknowledges the jurisdictional complication. The animal, however, appears not to.
According to the resident, a daytime fox has also been observed in that neighborhood. The fox "seems to enjoy watching the rabbits," though they report no evidence of harm to other species — "except maybe a few of our fruit trees and plants, but they needed thinning anyway."
The Gazette respects this level of neighborly accommodation.
The reported kit, photographed by trail camera.
More importantly, the fox is reported to live nearby and to have at least one kit. This may explain the unconventional schedule previously documented. It may also complicate the matter. Parenting, the Gazette notes, has altered many schedules in this neighborhood and beyond.
It was further reported that the sidewalk appears to be "a favorite path" for the fox and its friends, who "also seem to be very respectful." The feral cats in the area, by contrast, may be "not quite as respectful," having been known to mark a bush from time to time.
Still, our neighbor remains admirably broad-minded: "We don't mind. We know they were here first."
The Gazette records this as the official White Avenue position on foxes, feral cats, and certain forms of shrub-related misconduct.
One of the new arrivals, observed in residence.
A Lauraville resident has announced the arrival of not one but two baby rabbits.
The household had previously believed itself to be the benefactor of a single baby bunny. This assessment has since been revised upward. The Gazette understands there are now two.
Their sexes are unknown. Their names have not yet been determined. Their sizes, however, have been reported with admirable specificity: one approximately the size of a large tomato, the other closer to a good-sized eggplant.
Both are light brown and cotton-tailed. Both are already described as independent and adventurous. They enjoy eating clover and running around the yard.
The Gazette congratulates the household on its expanded rabbit situation and urges all parties to proceed with humility. A tomato-sized rabbit can become an eggplant-sized rabbit. An eggplant-sized rabbit may have ambitions beyond the vegetable scale currently assigned to it.
Deerdra Fawnson at the gate, Tuesday morning, 5:08 a.m.
A deer identified as Deerdra Fawnson was caught on camera at 5:08 a.m. on Tuesday, May 12, apparently investigating a backyard garden gate.
The purpose of the visit remains under review.
The submitter has raised two possible explanations: Deerdra may have been coming to visit, or she may have been attempting to break into the garden. The Gazette notes that these are not mutually exclusive. A social call may include light trespass. A search for snacks may present as friendliness.
Deerdra was described as "testing the fidelity of the gate," a phrase this publication endorses and will be watching closely.
The subject, weighing her options on Belle Vista Avenue.
A deer on Belle Vista Avenue has been observed looking around for lunch specials.
The deer appears to be frustrated by the limitations of available delivery infrastructure. Specifically, the deer wonders why Uber Eats is "so picky" and will not provide service.
The Gazette is unable to confirm whether the deer has an account, a payment method, or a fixed delivery address.
Still, the broader question remains. In a neighborhood where rabbits consume clover, foxes monitor rabbits, cats monitor mice, and deer approach garden gates before sunrise, the distinction between dining and trespassing grows less clear each month.
Grumpy, post-rescue, with provisions.
On Mother's Day morning, a young bird was discovered in the street under a neighbor's car on Walther Avenue.
The reporting party, Hanna, and her mother attempted to assist the fledgling out of the road. The bird responded by retreating further under the car. After a walk, the rescuers returned and observed the parent bird flying down from a nearby tree, confirming that the fledgling had not been abandoned.
Shortly thereafter, the car sheltering the bird pulled away, narrowly missing it.
The fledgling then wandered into the street. One rescuer diverted oncoming traffic while the other safely shepherded the bird to the median, under the tree from which its mother had flown down.
The bird was named Grumpy due to what witnesses describe as a snarky facial expression. Bowls of bird food and water were provided until the bird could fly. The Gazette commends the rescuers for their swift action and hospitality. It challenges Grumpy to exhibit gratitude.
Rae Shapiro, on watch.
Rae Shapiro, a cat, has been observed keeping watch from the front yard.
Her interests include birds, mice, and other small animals. She has already caught several mice this spring, reportedly to the delight and momentary panic of her owners, Colleen Shapiro shares.
The Gazette recognizes Rae's work as both household service and domestic crisis. Mice are unwelcome. Mice delivered by cats are also unwelcome, though for different reasons. The Gazette advises local mice to remain vigilant.
Earl Grey, now domestic.
A hefty grey cat with small ears and one perpetually crooked ear has been brought to the Gazette's attention by resident Daphne.
In the time before Covid, he was feral and known as Spicy. He has since gone by many names. After being fixed and becoming kind to humans, it was determined that he would be known as Earl Grey — a name honoring both his color and his comportment, with what the Gazette understands to be a pointed reference to his past.
Earl is now reportedly kind and cuddly.
The deeper questions remain.
What does Earl remember of his former life? What has domestication taught him? What inner attributes has he gained from his transformation? What wisdom might he share with others facing the same opportunity?
Residents who encounter Earl are asked to inquire.
The Gazette cautions that he may or may not answer. Cats with pasts often retain editorial control.
Suspicious butt-sniffing activity has been reported among a variety of mixed-breed dogs on Grindon. Inquiries have been made, but no one will talk. The Gazette encourages residents with further information to come forward.
The Batavia Avenue subject, photographed in residence.
A beautiful black pigeon was observed on Batavia Avenue after flying past resident Dana, who was working in her front garden and landing on a pergola.
The bird appeared friendly, though not friendly enough to permit a close inspection. No identifying bands or other forms of identification could be confirmed.
The submitter has raised the possibility that the pigeon may be lost, may belong to a person who keeps carrier pigeons, or may simply be an unusually striking pigeon conducting personal business.
Anyone missing a black pigeon, or anyone prepared to explain the existence of a black pigeon with unusual confidence, is encouraged to come forward.
Barney, a handsome medium-sized mixed-breed dog, was observed on the grounds of Garrett Heights Elementary School conducting repeated laps and stopping at the same location again and again to sniff.
The behavior reportedly continued for an entire day.
The Gazette classifies this matter as a romantic entanglement pending further evidence. It may be love. It may be memory. It may be something less poetic and more municipal. Anyone able to identify the unknown scent is asked to contact the neighborhood watch.
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