Dasypus Novemcinctus All Up In Your Grill!

The Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant on the outskirts of town is also home to the Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory. We went out there today in search of a good walk. There are an incredible number of bird species out there even now, in "winter." I like birds as much as the next guy does. This is not what I am excited about today.

There is the sewage treatment plant, with its attached collect ponds brimming with...well, filth. Definitely different, and interesting, and smelly. It is not a super thrill for me.

No, the thing that got me was this. In all my years, I have only seen a living armadillo once. Until this afternoon.

I've seen scores of dead armadillos. I've also seen a bunch that are alive for just a second, before that minivan, or that Accord, or that whatever squashes the living shit out of 'em. I don't count those times, because you can't really get to know what a critter is like if it's always dead right after you spot it.

It turns out armadillos are pretty cute. I saw at least 5 living 'dillos this afternoon, during our stinky nature hike. They'll walk right up on you, as they seem to have poor eyesight, and their hearing is only so-so at best. Even their sense of smell is meh, so they just stand there in front of you, sensing that something is screwy, but not quite able to put it all together. The minute they do figure it out...voom! They totally jump and scamper the hell away, with their little shell a-flappin' in the wind. It's very funny to see. It fills my heart with blood, just thinking about it.

Today was a day for the armadillo! It is one of my new favorite animules. I love the little rabid, leprosy vectors. They make me glad to carry a camera around with me, at least.

Here are the tunes for the armadillos, past and present. One day, you will win your holy war against the tires, axles and bumpers of America's cars. Until then, I salute you!

-[Hamburger Martyr]-

Killdozer : Hamburger Martyr
No Means No : Manic Depression
Stickmen with Rayguns : Scavenger of Death
Art of Noise : Into Batttle
Enemy Soil : Hypocrisy
Scratch Acid : Flying Houses
Men's Recovery Project : Restraining Order
Goblin : Suspiria
Bauhaus : Double Dare
Da Toddlers : Toddlin' Sickness
Monster X : Got the Guts?
Thrones : MNMNTN
Sick Things : Paranoia
Dwarves : Let's Get Pregnant
Beguiled : The Screaming Rummy
Reagan Youth : Degenerated
Didjits : Beast Le Brutal
Skinny Puppy : To a Baser Nature
People Like Us : Nobody Loves U
Killdozer : Big Song of Love
Unsane : HLL
Stretcheads : Groin Death
Cherubs : Wornout Balls
Heresy : In Silence
Damned : Neat Neat Neat