Today I came to the realization that I might be a bird lady (Home Alone 2 if you didn't recognize her picture). Here are my bird friends...
Dottie
Dottie is a Turtle Dove, with more spots on her feathers then other Turtle Doves I've seen (hence her name). She had made her nest atop our rain gutter down spout. She's been there awhile. Dottie has endured many hardships in her stay in our backyard.
1. Josh cut down the rose bush that was mostly concealing her home, which is why all the leaves around her are brown. The stems are just hanging there. I made Josh leave them.
2. Last April Gemma killed one of her children, I tried to help the poor little bird, but it succumbed to the injuries. The Circle of Life continues in our backyard.
2. Last April Gemma killed one of her children, I tried to help the poor little bird, but it succumbed to the injuries. The Circle of Life continues in our backyard.
Michael and I greet Dottie when we walk through the backyard. I don't think she shares our sentiments because while working in the garden under her the other day, I narrowly escaped her "relief".
Red
Red is a Robin that made her home in this nest on the swing branch of the Maple in our backyard. I couldn't get a picture with her in the nest, she crouches down. Several weeks ago, while we were outside we heard a faint thud- Gemma ran to the poor young Robin that had fallen out of the tree. I followed her- yelling STOP, STOP!
Now let me pause to tell you some background info. Gemma has chased down, snatched up, injured and killed many birds in our backyard. Black birds, Meadowlarks, Turtle Doves... when a baby bird is in peril- the mother and maybe one other bird tweet and fly around Gemma's head trying to distract her- it rarely works and even when it does it isn't long enough to do any good (except one time when the bird happened to get on the other side of the fence). Notice from the above list that I didn't mention Robins?
Here (apparently) is why.
So I'm yelling STOP, STOP! And out of the sky, dive bombing and swirling around Gemma and my head come six or more adult Robins. Squawking, flapping, never relenting! Gemma ran to the other side of the yard to get away from the small band of birds, and I stepped back. The baby bird regrouped and flew back up to the tree!
I saw it with my own eyes!
Francis
You can identify Francis in this picture by her curved neck and head. Francis is a Turtle Dove who today finished building her nest in my hanging basket. We don't know Francis much yet, but she doesn't seem to care about us at the window. Last summer another Turtle Dove had built her nest in this same basket. I watched one day as it down poured and that Dove sat on her nest in that basket while the rain poured, the basket twirled and the gutters overflowed like a waterfall on the poor birds head. But there she sat- steadfast and strong- a mother protecting her young.
I've learned from these birds. It takes a group effort- involving parents and outside sources like extended family, good community and church to protect your children from the dangers and bad influences of the world at large. Parents are more successful when they have support. Likewise, when the storms of life threaten to throw us off balance and twirl our lives around, it takes courage, perseverance and strength in order to do the right things and to raise our children correctly. I hope I can have the determination and steadfastness that those birds have shown.
Oh the metaphors! You can find so much meaning in the world around you if you look and listen;)
FACES of the Day
Trying to get away with it
Guilty of... something
Explanations
Successfully having gotten away with it (whatever "it" was?)
The end;)
Red
Red is a Robin that made her home in this nest on the swing branch of the Maple in our backyard. I couldn't get a picture with her in the nest, she crouches down. Several weeks ago, while we were outside we heard a faint thud- Gemma ran to the poor young Robin that had fallen out of the tree. I followed her- yelling STOP, STOP!
Now let me pause to tell you some background info. Gemma has chased down, snatched up, injured and killed many birds in our backyard. Black birds, Meadowlarks, Turtle Doves... when a baby bird is in peril- the mother and maybe one other bird tweet and fly around Gemma's head trying to distract her- it rarely works and even when it does it isn't long enough to do any good (except one time when the bird happened to get on the other side of the fence). Notice from the above list that I didn't mention Robins?
Here (apparently) is why.
So I'm yelling STOP, STOP! And out of the sky, dive bombing and swirling around Gemma and my head come six or more adult Robins. Squawking, flapping, never relenting! Gemma ran to the other side of the yard to get away from the small band of birds, and I stepped back. The baby bird regrouped and flew back up to the tree!
I saw it with my own eyes!
Francis
You can identify Francis in this picture by her curved neck and head. Francis is a Turtle Dove who today finished building her nest in my hanging basket. We don't know Francis much yet, but she doesn't seem to care about us at the window. Last summer another Turtle Dove had built her nest in this same basket. I watched one day as it down poured and that Dove sat on her nest in that basket while the rain poured, the basket twirled and the gutters overflowed like a waterfall on the poor birds head. But there she sat- steadfast and strong- a mother protecting her young.
I've learned from these birds. It takes a group effort- involving parents and outside sources like extended family, good community and church to protect your children from the dangers and bad influences of the world at large. Parents are more successful when they have support. Likewise, when the storms of life threaten to throw us off balance and twirl our lives around, it takes courage, perseverance and strength in order to do the right things and to raise our children correctly. I hope I can have the determination and steadfastness that those birds have shown.
Oh the metaphors! You can find so much meaning in the world around you if you look and listen;)
FACES of the Day
Trying to get away with it
Guilty of... something
Explanations
Successfully having gotten away with it (whatever "it" was?)
The end;)
2 comments:
I would like to take this moment to tell you #1 that I recognized that picture of the bird lady before it even finished loading and began reciting "I would like a hotel room please with an extra large bed, a tv and one of those little refrigerators you have to open with a key..." #2, I love your writing style. It is so captivating. #3. I just started my workday and your blog started it on the right foot. #4 I love you Steph!
Aww, Cindy, Thanks and I love you too;)
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