We have a weed tree in our back yard; as far as trees go, it's got a nice shape to it - small like a crab apple, but without the annoying fruit to rake up in the fall. We've had a couple birds try to make their homes in this tree, and it's ended badly both times. Fast forward to this year when I looked out the master bedroom window and saw a mama robin making a nest. To be fair, it really isn't a great tree for nest making only because any neighborhood cat can easily climb the tree, and I figured she must be a young mom bird or something.
Mama bird sat on her nest for what seemed like a couple weeks - I hardly ever saw her leave the nest. Then one day her babies must of hatched because she was busy feeding them, and this has been going on for a couple weeks. I looked out the window this past Thursday morning, and it looked like the little old lady who lived in a shoe with her 4 fairly large babies nearly spilling out of the nest. By the time I had a chance to look at the nest again on Friday, it was vacated. Well, I guess that's what's supposed to happen, but a part of me was a bit sad to see the little family gone and the nest empty.
So Saturday around dinner time Mike and I were relaxing in the living room, when I hear all manner of bird squawking going on outside. This wasn't normal bird chatter that you normally hear earlier in the day; it was frantic, angry even. I happened to look out on the deck and saw a little bird being chased by our neighbor's overweight, declawed, house cat. Normally he isn't outside but for some reason he'd been given outdoor access. Aaack! Mike, at my request, went outside to take the cat home. The baby bird seemed dazed, and hopped up on our deck and huddled right next to the slider door. This didn't go over well with our two house cats who wanted to kill the cute little guy. I couldn't stand it and went out on the deck, and he didn't even budge - just looked up at me and opened his beak as if he thought maybe I might feed him. Poor guy was having a bad week - booted from his cozy home where he'd been fed every meal of his life, chased by a fat cat, and now some weird looking large creature was stalking him. Can't a guy get a break?
He appeared unafraid of me, so I thought the best thing I could do was put him back in the nest till mama came looking for him. We have several neighborhood cats who come by through our yard, and I knew he was good as dead if he stayed on the deck. And he didn't look like he was ready to go anywhere! So Mike got me some gloves and a step ladder so I could return the little guy to the nest. Only he didn't want to uncurl his feet from my finger - I had to sort of push him off me and into the edge of the nest. Probably be the only time in my life I'll get to hold a wild bird like that!
So this morning I looked out the master bedroom window and saw Birdie still in the tree but on a different branch. This went on all day - him moving from branch to branch, up a little higher, out on the limb a little further. I checked back about 7 p.m. and he's gone. Finally got up his courage to join his family! My work is done.
I took a few photos of Birdie today as the morning light was streaming through the leaves. I had a feeling he might not be there much longer, so I'm glad I took photos when I did.
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