The reason we went back to the Big Meadows area was that I wanted to attend another ranger program, the "Big Meadows Campfire" at 8:30 PM. The topic for the night was the mating games of the Big Meadows' animals. This was the hosting ranger's first season in Shenandoah, and she spent the last several years in other National Parks on the West Coast.
The program started out a little bit awkward, because she wanted everyone to stand up to tell her how many times we had been here, and picked three guys to play a lame bachelors game. But later on the presentation got better. She told several interesting stories about how animals find the love of their lives. I thought the best story was about the Screech Owl:
When the male Screech Owl found a prospect, he would stake out and observe her from a distance for three or four days. Then one night he would decide that it was the night he was going to ask the big question. He would get anxious and jump in and out of his nest several times, as if he was thinking, "Ah, I am so nervous! I am about to go asking her out!"
Then he would fly in front of her and start his dance. The female would not move at all, and pretend that she did not even see him. But in fact, she was glancing at his every move. Finally, after he exhausted all his dance moves, he would bow with his wings open and head lowered to his chest, as if he was saying, "I have already showed you everything I've got. What do you say?"
If the female rejected him, she would fly away, and he would not chase after her. But if the female accepted him, which they almost always would, she would slowly move herself towards him, and lightly push him with her wing. The male would lift up his head, and they would kiss each other by meeting their beaks. Then they would stay "married" for life.
Awww. What a sweet story!
Sorry, no pictures in this one. To be continued...
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