It was February 7th, 2018 and we still have fond remembrances of Lucky Chase.

Mandarin, Florida is considered a “charming, historic suburb in southernmost Jacksonville, Florida.”  It is widely known for the beautiful and very large oak trees; some in the middle of the roads.  Its rich history of Harriet Beecher Stowe, orange groves and Spanish moss is only accentuated by the beautiful St. Johns River that runs along Mandarin’s banks.  Because of the St. Johns River, there are a great many tributaries that run in and around Mandarin.  There are a lot of ponds, creeks and lakes.  One area known to so many is Lake Mandarin, a community of 312 homes including some single-family and others patio/cluster homes.  Lake Mandarin homes back up to waterways.

These small lakes attract a variety of animals.- including Great Blue Herons, egrets, river otters, turtles, snakes and a variety of fish.  While large birds do fly in and out, it has been unusual to find peacocks in back yards and yet in 2018 that is exactly what happened.

Lake Mandarin

While leaving the Lake Mandarin subdivision on a Wednesday morning in 2018, a very large pea fowl was crossing the road at Loretto and Gwenford. Loretto is a well-traveled road and not one for animals to share.  Gwenford does back up to a St. Johns creek tributary but where the peacock was walking was away from the water and it was as if he was lost and confused.  Being in my truck, I pulled over to the right side of the road and let the bird pass.  The traffic was heavy and there was concern for the animal’s safety, so I got out of my truck thinking I would carefully shoo the bird toward the back of the homes but with traffic and yard fences, it would not work. 

At that time, the third house on the road had its garage door wide open so when I walked toward the bird, he felt he had no where to go but in the garage. The owner of the home blocked the back door opening and I gathered up the peacock in my arms.  Carefully holding him tight and making sure his long tail was extended, I took him to my truck, wrestled the door open, pointed his feathered tail toward the inside right door and slid into the driver’s seat; bird in arms. 

Having at least 60 chickens of my own at the time, I had accommodations for the bird and immediately put him in run # 1; the largest pen I had. He would not fit in the hen house so at night, I secured him in a large box pen that I used for new mother and babies.  Every day he would stay in the run with the chickens and at night I would put him in the large box for safe keeping. That first day we named him “Lucky Chase” because a friend of mine, Lois was talking about him being saved was a “luck chase” for him.  

Wondering what to do with Lucky Chase, I posted on Facebook that I had found a large male peacock and suggested all to ask around to find out who may know of its owner.  For over a week nothing came of the post until somewhere around February 19th,  a young lady contacted me saying her mother was missing a peacock that frequented their backyard lake on  a street about 2 miles from where he was found.  She felt that might be the peacock.  

On Wednesday, February 21, we arranged to meet at her location.  My daughter and I took Lucky Chase in the van where there was more room for the long feathered sweep.  Many of the neighbours all came to see and sure enough, they all acted and reacted happy together; even Lucky Chase.  He was back home.

As much as I wanted to keep him, I knew he needed to return to his lake where I’m sure he’s lived happily ever after. I know his human was happy too. 

See you tomorrow,

Nan