2 Mysteries Solved and a Minor Injury!

This little story falls into what Hamilton (blog reader, friend and previous owner of our house) calls "strange things that happen only to Katrina." Yes, I have had coconuts fall on me, been "nudged" by sharks, bitten by a gecko I was trying to save from the cats, and locked in the porch area of our house....I could go on but I won't. The chickens have been clucking away making a huge racket and "Big Red" has been running around raping everyone. Today there was a huge racket...the kind of racket that happens when one of the huge hawks comes down and takes off with a baby chick (or neighbors puppy) - that kind of racket. Or the kind of racket like when the hens lay eggs. I peek outside the kitchen door and into the gingers and get a glimpse of a little nest.

On closer inspection there are 14 eggs.

Later I find the mom hen brooding on her clutch.

This explains some of the clucking noises. After I investigate the latest ruckus I find there are only 3 chicks remaining from the white hen (there were 7 to start with) and only 3 of the black hen's chicks left (started with 5). This is not unusual. I spring into action when I hear the war cries to make sure it isn't the cats (hasn't ever been our cats), and have seen the birds swoop down then pick them off. As I come up the stairs I see Tuca sitting on the lawn motionless.

She is keeping her distance but has found something interesting!

There is also a hen nearby between the intruder and her chicks.

Then Blanco gets in on the scene.

The intruder is a pretty big, very green iguana. I have seen boa constrictors on the property but this is the first time I've seen an iguana.

I think he looked pretty full judging by the hanging belly. Look at the claws! I had to photograph this beauty, but didn't expect it to still be on the lawn when I got back with the camera. I also expected it to run when I got close but it just stayed motionless. I moved in kind of close to check out its really cool skin and claws and I had to get close to photograph its head.

It was very prehistoric looking. Look at that tail! The tail was about 2 feet long and I was busy looking at the claws and watching to make sure he didn't rush me when I photographed him when WHOOSH - with lightening speed he whipped his tail across my leg! Shocked the crap out of me and really stung! Who knew? I was not expecting that!

I was really shocked and backed up taking Tuca with me. That tail is long and far reaching and definitely a real weapon! It left two parallel cuts like grass cuts on my leg, but it was just like when they crack a whip in the movies... it just wrapped around my leg so fast I felt it and never saw it. Beware the iguana's tail!

Then he just kind of stood there some more with chickens roaming around, cats investigating and me shoving a camera in his face. I believe the earlier ruckus was this iguana stealing chicks and eggs. I'll be looking for him tomorrow at the first sign of chicken trouble. The only reason why I saw him was because of the cats. He blended in with the lawn despite his size and I only would have seen him if he moved. The cats are good at alerting me to interesting things in the yard. Beware the tail on these guys when photographing...you may get exactly what you deserve!