Friday Favorite: For the Birds

About a month ago, a robin insisted on flying itself repeatedly against our patio door. Claws out.  His self-abuse continued for days from sun up to sun down.

Slam. Slam. Slam.  

People suggested he saw his reflection and was trying to fight it as some sort of attempt at finding a mate. His behavior could be considered similar to a bar room brawl for a girl. He didn't give up. It didn't make sense. He made a mess.

Since I don't know any bird bouncers, I did my best. First, I placed paper against the door to try to block the reflection.  That didn't work.  

Slam. Slam. Slam. 

Next, I cut colored paper into strips to look like snakes and taped them outside to catch the wind and move.  

Slam. Slam. Slam.  

The crazy bird answered my attempts by creating a makeshift nest and port-a-potty on our patio furniture. 

Then one day, he disappeared.

He must have found a mate who was impressed by his machismo.

Last week, while attempting to keep our flowers alive in this heat (Six of our seven pots still have blooms! New record for me.), I noticed a fuzzy little creature on the lawn. Somewhere between the size of a golf ball and baseball, it blinked up at me. Clearly it was terrified.  Its robin dad or mom flew frantically from the fence to the roof and back again. I showed Max the baby bird and his first thought, of course, was to step on it--but he didn't. When I went back outside, it was gone. A few days later, the nest I thought it was in was vacant, too.

Lake Wrens

Last weekend, we went to the lake. My dad has a little bird house.  Baby wrens were in it!  

On Tuesday, I found another robin's nest near our patio at home and we watched a parent feed three hungry little cheepers. I love the location of this nest because we can watch them from inside.

The parents always seem nervous as we watch.Whether it's the robin helping its baby take its first flight or the wren surprised by all the activity near its babes, they kept a close eye on us. We weren't like them, but we were part of the world their young would have to live in.

I can identify. I'm learning that whether you're a bird brain or not, sending one's young into the world is a tough part of life. 

Still, you won't catch me slamming myself into someone's patio door.