Wish I could have taken a picture, but it happened too fast.
I was between shots and had stepped back roughly four feet from the total station when I heard a bird call out. A few seconds later, a mockingbird flew up to land on the handle of the total station. He looked me over for a couple of seconds then flew up to the top of a nearby power pole and serenaded me with different calls.
and aren't you blessed to have been gifted with only a song!
Paging Dr. Dolittle..... is Dr. Dolittle available?
Comical bird there!...had one fussing with a backsight set-up once. Seems he/she was upset with the intruder in the prism! 🙂
Way back when I was too young to drive, my dad hired a neighbor to work with me. I was running the instrument, a transit. I had set a 20d nail in neatly mown grass, about 20' from the gun, on the line, in the direction towards the next inst station.
I had moved up, and was searching for my nail, when a big fat robbin came along, grabbed my backsite nail, and pulled up for all he was worth. He finally keeled over backwards, and the nail went flying. Kinda funny. I had to go and remake the backsite, directly over the previous trv. Nail.
~ N
Gray Jays, commonly known as Whiskey Jacks, are very gregarious and will eat out of your hand.