The Birds At The Tides

 

 

Alfred Hitchcock's

The Birds

By Daphne  du Maurier

 

Mitch Brenner: I wonder if you could help me?

Mitch Brenner: Do you happen to have a pair of birds that are just friendly?

Melanie Daniels: Just what is it you're looking for, sir?
Mitch Brenner: Lovebirds.
Melanie Daniels: Lovebirds, sir?
Mitch Brenner: Yes, I understand there are different varieties. Is that true?
Melanie Daniels: Oh yes there are.
Mitch Brenner: Well, these are for my sister, for her birthday see, and uh, as she's only going to be eleven, I, I wouldn't want a pair of birds that were too demonstrative.
Melanie Daniels: I understand completely.
Mitch Brenner: At the same time, I wouldn't want them to be too aloof either.
Melanie Daniels: No, of course not.

 

Oh my, Melanie Daniels and Mitch Brenner!

 

The Birds is one of my all time favorite horror films, partly because it is Hitchcock in all his glory. Partly because it is filmed on one of the most beautiful towns in Northern California, and partly for the amazing cast, including Rod Taylor (ooh la la) Tippi Hedren and Suzanne Pleshette. But one of the most compelling performances came from actress, Doreen Lang. She played a terrified mother, stuck in The Tides restaurant, during one of the scariest bird strikes on the town of Bodega Bay. Chilling!

The film was released in 1963, and remains a classic of the horror film genre. The plot revolves around an example of nature hitting back at humans, for ignoring it's plight through the dangers of global warming, or does it mean that at all? Or could it simply be one of those unexplainable occurrences that take place every once in a Blue Moon? Still one other theory is that Melanie Daniels is somehow causing the strange, birds gone insane, happening as it didn't seem to start, until Melanie Daniels arrived in town. She was the first victim of the birds, when she was assaulted by a large gull, while operating a small boat heading across Bodega Bay. 

It was love at first sight between, Mitch and Melanie, although it was initially more combative than romantic. They banter back and forth for a bit, but in the end, Mitch seems to win their verbal dance. Not to be outdone, she pursues finding Mitch's address, and through her stalking mishaps, finds herself on her way to Bodega Bay. Her flirtation with Mitch Brenner, a lawyer from San Francisco, but living on weekends in Bodega Bay, is sexy and smart. It makes you want to see them form a lasting relationship, because in simple terms, you learn of their shared loneliness. They are that couple who finds each other, under difficult circumstances, often sparring, often turning to empathy for each other and the dynamics that leads them to live their respective guarded and lonely lives. Pressure we can all relate to in some way. But the road to love usually has some bumps along the way, but these two take it all to a new level.  LOL. 

Anyway, chances are you are very familiar with the film, so I won't go on and on about the plot, but I want to remind you how much fun it is to watch! It's a Saturday afternoon movie in my opinion, which is great because not all horror movies are geared to dark rooms and blankets to hide under. It is a popcorn movie though, and it's a gem with so many individual impressive scenes it's ridiculous! See the cool clips below. So, as you can see, I enjoy spending time in the famous town, not just as a movie buff, but also for the amazing birding opportunities it provides! Ironic, right? And I love the cheesy sense of humor Bodega Bay has about being the home of one of the most beloved horror movies ever!

The Bodega Harbor. The trees that stood in front of the house featured as the Brenner house, and the Potter Schoolhouse, used for the Bodega Bay school, are still there, as are is the Tides Restaurant. Although while it has gone under significant redesign, they maintain a small display outside the restaurant that runs the movie, in full, several times a day. Fans can stand outside the exhibit and do selfies next to the scenes behind them. It doesn't really put you in the film or anything, but it's kinda cool to stop and watch the movie. I have no idea who I would have been best to play in the film, but being a customer in The Tides, during all the drama, would have been an absolute hoot!

Enjoy my favorite clips...

"I think you're evil!"
 

From The Tides Display...

Hey, just because October, and Halloween, is over doesn't mean the chills, horror and all manner of things scary has to end! I am planning another trip to Bodega Bay before the atmospheric rive arrives, so I will post more photos from around the town later this month. Now, go watch the movie, and stay tuned!

Autumn Naps

 

“November is usually such a disagreeable month...as if the year had suddenly found out that she was growing old and could do nothing but weep and fret over it. This year is growing old gracefully...just like a stately old lady who knows she can be charming even with gray hair and wrinkles. We've had lovely days and delicious twilight's.”

 

~L.M. Montgomery,

  Anne of Avonlea

 

 As days of birding in Bodega Bay goes, this day was not one of the best ones I have ever had, but we still managed to leave with four new birds, and some shots of some gorgeous ornamental plume grasses, like these. These particular ones line the bay, and  makes the place look even more serene than it already does. Watching them sway back and for always makes me want to take a nap, which I guess could be a bad idea, since my napping urges seem increase with the gold of the season, and we live about 2 hours away, depending on traffic! I could nap on the way home, but I like to assist Alan with staying awake, as the road can be somewhat hypnotic! The plumes sit along the same side as where Mitch Brenner's house, from the film The Birds, would have sat.

 

 I am going to have to check the movie the next time I watch it, to see if there was this kind of grasses seen in the movie. Of course it was filmed in 1962, so I am thinking probably not. The next time I visit, hopefully sometime this month, I will get there with enough time to be able to do some photos from around town, and maybe do a before and after, and show what was filmed in town and what was filmed on a sound stage. In between looking for birds, that is, November is always a good month for searching for birds along the coast! The Brandts and about 4 or 5 different kinds of gulls are in, as are ducks and grebe. There is all sorts of waders, and there's even a bald eagle that haunts a line of eucalyptus trees that sits directly behind these plumes!

Yawn. For now I am going to go catch a nap, and plan my next trip. I will get in at least one more trip to the Clifton Court Forebay next week, and next Wednesday also we are venturing up to the top of Mount Diablo in search of a pair of California Condors that have been spotted near the summit. It would be great to spot them, and coincidentally we spotted one in Bodega Bay, quite by accident, during the autumn of 2005! We were in front of the Potter Schoolhouse, when we saw a large black bird fly past us and land on the top of a telephone poll. Low and behold, it was a rare California Condor, who at the time was fairly close to being an endangered species!

Bodega is magical that way, and especially in autumn. So never take for granted what bird you might spot in Bodega Bay or Mount Diablo for that matter! That seems to be the way things go with birding, you go out looking for one thing, and comeback with something else, just as cool! Yawn. I think I need a nap now, I have a lot of dreaming to do for next week! Or maybe just for my own well-being. It's been so stressful this last month or so. Sigh. X continues to be filled to the brim with hate, just the way Elon Musk loves it, and Trump continues to suck every bit of energy right out of me. I know it will all get better one day, and I have my my hubby, and my birds to help me though it all. And naps. And baking. And so much more! All is not lost.

 

 

Meanwhile, Over By The Brenner's House...

 

“His eyes reflected the open grey of the autumnal sky.” 

  ~ Juliet Marillier,

  Daughter of the Forest

 

Bodega Bay was cool and foggy yesterday, and it was filled with a lot of birds, so needless to say, I was completely thrilled. Ive been there when, ironically, there were very few birds at all, but that wasn't the case yesterday, as we counted at least four or five different kinds of gulls alone. There were Western Bluebirds, and assorted shorebirds and waders. We even spotted our first Brant of the year! I think we came home yesterday with about four new birds for this year's list, which brings the total so far to 153! Not a bad way to spend one of the last days of September! While in Bodega Bay, our favorite place to do our birding is across the bay from The Tides restaurant, near where the character of Mitch Brenner lives, from the Hitchcock classic, The Birds. Over by the house next to the two trees, as it's pointed out in the movie. It's officially called, Bodega Head. It's a great place to have lunch and wait for something fantastic to fly by. I love California so much!