About a week and a half ago I walked to the mailbox with my daughters and we noticed that a poor little bird had chosen to lay her eggs in the grass of someone's side-yard. We stopped and oogled at the eggs and had "a moment". What I didn't tell the girls was that the little bird, for whatever reason (look birdie, I'm not judging, but did you know what a dumb place that was to lay your eggs?...I guess when you gotta go, you gotta go...) had chosen a very unwise place to deposit and nurture these four poor eggs who don't have a chance. We live in a populated neighborhood with a plethora of kids, dogs, possums and who knows what else. I thought for sure that these creatures wouldn't last and I was sad for her and her mistake.
Almost two weeks later, here she is
in all her motherly glory, protecting and nurturing her brood against the elements of nature (and I might add that we had a doozy of a storm last night...) All four brown speckled eggs are brilliant and beautifully accounted for.
She's a tough little girl and I stand impressed at her stamina and strength.
So keep on tiny bird...warm those eggs and bring them up right. I have been encouraged and enthused by your fortitude and resolve.
I think that tomorrow we will try to take her some birdseed, to aid her in her efforts. She's just a mom doing her best, and for that I applaud her most enthusiastically.
10 comments:
I do realize, of course, that this could be a male bird...for which I applaud just as enthusiastically. I just haven't taken the time to look up what kind of bird it is.
I am feeling weepy over this, as I am presently preparing my mother's day talk. Isn't it amazing what motherhood does to you--the strength you find you n ever knew you had? The selflessness you didn't think you were capable of? I wonder what her story is.
Now I know why you were looking up birds when I was talking to you. Personally, I think she may be a dodo. What kind of bird lays eggs on someone's lawn? First time mother? I wish her well.
See ladies. Not all wild animals in Houston are scary, creepy, and bite!
My guess is it is a Killdeer. We have lots of those here, and they do lay their eggs in the fields. When you get too close to their nests, they flop around somewhere away from the nest to pretend they have a broken wing-- so they try to distract you from their eggs. They are interesting little things!
Julie you are so insightful! I just looked up the killdeer and i believe you are correct! And I hear the babies are super cute.
I have learned something new...60 points to me.
Now that I think of it, the first time we saw the bird I thought she was hurt because her wing looked funky and she was hopping around. Nature's defense in action...I totally saw that! and thank you for knowing what kind of bird it is...how insightful, 100 points for you!
(The point thing will wear off, eventually...)
Julie is a wealth of information. She once helped me catergorize all the different spiders in my house that I was freaking out over. She knew which were harmful, and which were just ugly.. 200 points for you Julie!
Oh my! I am feeling so useful today, thank you all. My knowledge of spiders comes from a deep hatred of them-- a creepy fascination, if you will, for those things that I REALLY hate! (You must KNOW your enemy to be able to destroy him, oohaa ha ha!!) Rich said that he once saw a Killdeer that had laid its eggs in the middle of a country road!! (Maybe they ARE related to the Dodo somehow...)
I lay my eggs in the refrigerator. Granted they are in a protective styrofoam nest, and I've never, ever even thought about sitting on them.
Post a Comment