My Bird

I don't like birds, thank you Alfred Hitchcock but an amazing thing happened to me this week with "my bird". I have been known to trim back the ivy in the courtyard so much that the old bird nests just had to go. I did that to prevent the advent of baby birds that have hopped around the patio to just end up dead because of the heat and lack of attention from their parents.

Well, a little over a week ago there was another baby bird hopping around because he had fallen out of his nest. At first I thought "oh great I'll be scooping his body up in a day or so" BUT, this one seemed a little bit bigger then those that died before him so I don't know what possessed me but I gave him a little dried bread. My bird tried to eat it but had some problems but then what twisted my heart was his mom flew down and started feeding him the food I left on the ground. It was so sweet I thought that if his mom wasn't going to give up on him either was I. I left the hose dripping a little water all the time and every day and night I would go out and feed my bird.

It was amazing that my bird started to know who I was and what I was doing. His instinct told him to keep his distance but every day when I was feeding him he would come up and eat with me watching him. He wasn't afraid of me and I think welcomed my being there.

So now more then a week later my bird showed me that he is learning to fly. Tonight I went out on the patio and he flew up from the ivy to a planter. From there he flew on top of the barbecue and just sat there looking at me like, "look at me, I'm flying." He then flew behind the hot tub where I have been feeding him and gave him some more food and water. My wish is I won't see him any more and that he is flying around but won't make his nest in my courtyard next year.

I am a proud Papa.