I get a lot of skepticism about my roadrunner sightings (I blame Warner Bros.) so I'm glad to have this photo. He's tall and pointy, sharp beak, sharp feet, spikey feathers on his head. He just sort of materializes out of nowhere, makes this crackling sound, like a live wire.

The first time I saw him, I was skeptical. We had roadrunners where I lived in New Mexico so I knew what they looked like, but here in Malibu? Then he came around again, dashed across the road with a little snake in his mouth and I was sure. I googled and learned roadrunners eat rattlesnakes and lizards, fruit and eggs and bugs. The male offers the female a stick during their courtship dance. They take turns incubating the eggs in their twiggy nest. They mate for life.

Last week, I was cutting sunflowers in my garden when I heard that unmistakable sound. Roadrunner. And there he was, hunting lizards on the woodpile. I froze. He gave me a look. We stared for a bit and then he turned, vanished into the canyon.