A few weeks ago I was visited by a reporter, who subsequently wrote a wonderful article in our local newspapers. (I am hoping to attach some kind of link eventually, or upload a portion of the article). The focus was on edible weeds and flowers, and I was standing near our Rose of Sharon, pointing out a patch of Lady’s Thumb, when I noticed a repeated, sharp, distressed cheap from the ground. Looking quickly but not seeing anything, I said to my daughter, "Christina, I think there is a baby bird on the ground." I did not want to interrupt the interview, so I continued talking, forgetting about the bird. Nature takes its course. But a few minutes later, Christina approached us holding out a towel-lined shoebox. "Look, Mom, it IS a baby bird!" She was so excited. "I’m going to feed it and make it a pet," and off she went. Well, I would not have suggested she touch the bird. It was so very young. But I was busy with the reporter and left her to her own devices.
Well! This is really turning out to be the year of the birds! We had the pleasure of watching a bird family grow, and saving a drowning bird, but this time I was prepared for tragedy. Instead, we all learned of the resilience of these little creatures! A few weeks ago I was visited by a reporter, who subsequently wrote a wonderful article in our local newspapers. (I am hoping to attach some kind of link eventually, or upload a portion of the article). The focus was on edible weeds and flowers, and I was standing near our Rose of Sharon, pointing out a patch of Lady’s Thumb, when I noticed a repeated, sharp, distressed cheap from the ground. Looking quickly but not seeing anything, I said to my daughter, "Christina, I think there is a baby bird on the ground." I did not want to interrupt the interview, so I continued talking, forgetting about the bird. Nature takes its course. But a few minutes later, Christina approached us holding out a towel-lined shoebox. "Look, Mom, it IS a baby bird!" She was so excited. "I’m going to feed it and make it a pet," and off she went. Well, I would not have suggested she touch the bird. It was so very young. But I was busy with the reporter and left her to her own devices. By the time the interview ended, Christina had put in the box a little lid with water in it, and was feeding the baby some sunflower seeds. Apparently she had gotten a couple into him, but he had spit them back up, so I suggested something squishy and wriggling; worms are hard to find in such dry conditions as we had this summer, but those fuzzy yellow bean beetle larvae all over our string bean leaves are easy prey! Fuzzy yellow larva sitting on the bird's beak! Open up! It took quite a few tries to get the little fellow to open his mouth, and timing was everything, but he did manage to swallow a couple. Nonetheless, I knew Christina would not be able to save him. I tried to explain gently. "Christina, you are not a mother bird. You can’t feed him day and night for two weeks, as a mother bird does. You need to accept that he’s not going to make it." "Noooo!" my sensitive little one sobbed. "We have to try!" She called a friend to come over and help her, the same friend who was there when they had rescued the other bird. Bird finally opening its mouth. But where's the food? What excitement! Two little blonde heads inclined eagerly over the box. More attempts to feed him again met with lackluster results, and the girls, being little girls, were soon outside playing. It was time. I called them in and told Christina she had to put the bird back. "Maybe his mother will find him and feed him," I suggested, thinking I would just watch the spot, and if he died, I would remove him so she wouldn’t know. Agreeing with the plan, she carried her little charge outside. Two birds open their beaks for food as Christina replaces their sibling Then I thought, "Duh!" I had been so busy with the reporter I hadn’t thought of the obvious. "There must be a nest directly above the spot where he was." Sure enough, well hidden in the bush was a very small nest with two comfortable occupants. "Christina, let’s put him back in the nest and see if his mother will take care of him." So that’s what we did. They did not seem to want to move over, but we left it up to Nature to figure out. A day or two later it actually rained, on and off for several days (hasn’t rained since) so I didn't get to check on him. Less than a week after putting the bird back, I went back out to the nest. One young bird sat on the edge, and as I approached, it fluttered into the ferns below. It could not yet get airborne, but it was definitely within a day of it. I looked around under the nest and found no dead babies. Our little friend had clearly been accepted back and fed, along with its siblings, and was now a healthy young bird. I never would have thought it! So, I guess we now have Empty Nest Syndrome!
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AuthorWelcome to Growing Goodness! This website is dedicated to growing good things, both plants and children. It's a gardening blog with maternal overtones, as I discuss the goodness and value of plants, both wild and domestic. In the process I hope to help you pass a love of nature on to your children. Happy Gardening! Archives
August 2011
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