Signs of Spring
The anole mating dance
Every day after my shower, I take my Boost and a cigarette outside, and the dogs, all six of them, come out with me. Sometimes Bailey, the senior male, is already out and waits to chase everyone else as they cram through the door. It’s very exciting.
The first thing I do is glance at the deck posts closest to the house to see if any anoles are out. If it’s sunny, even with a cool breeze, usually one is, either the bigger male or the smaller female. The last few times, both have been out, making me think there might be anole love in the air.
I’ve kept close watch, eager to see what their actions might be, and therein lies the rub. Watching the couple is about as exciting as watching paint dry.
She’s higher up on the post; he’s down below her. It’s tough to tell if she even knows he’s there. Since they have to move their heads to look at things with the eye on that side of their heads, it’s hard to tell if she can see him at all.
Yesterday was the first sign I’ve seen that there is love on his mind, anyway; he lifted his chin and showed off his red throat decoration and nodded his head up and down. I don’t know if she even saw him. There was certainly no response from her, positive or negative. And neither of them moved from their spots on the post.
