Brave souls
When you dare to make that final leap
The feathered ranks amongst the trees and shrubs in my garden have swelled considerably this week. Just beyond my back door, the air is full of high pitched tweets as a new brood of blue tits, great tits and robins take up residency. I am also aware of the lower pitched cries of young jackdaw and starling that join us for fleeting moments throughout the day.
I wonder?
I sat for ages observing the baby blue tits this morning…. watching and wondering. My head was in a spin from all the darting around. They are tiny yet appear so confident, whizzing between fat ball feeder, bird table and stopping on my patio trees to wipe their tack like beaks clean from their feasting. I wonder if they are enjoying their new found freedom?
So confident…... all except for one. One weeny, little soul seems to need its parent more than the others following them to every perch, fluttering its wings and opening its mouth, hoping to get fed. Up to now, this ploy has worked and the parent obliges, dutifully (you might just be able to spot them on the short video that follows). I wonder when they will allow it to fend for itself. It is going to have to have its wits about it, the flighty siblings have the knack of demolishing what ever is laid before them in record time.
Trees full of shrill tweets
Baby blue tit, mouth open.
Gone in seconds…..MORE!
Despite having juicy greenfly to tuck into, I do put bird feed out during this frenetic time. The kibbled peanuts seem to be a firm favourite and the liberal scoop offered has vanished in minutes. I’m happy to help out, I have a strong sense to nurture these vulnerable creatures, a feeling that has been with me for most of my life.
I have a vivid childhood memory of wanting to feed the birds in my small back yard. I took myself off to the local pet shop with my pocket money and bought a quarter pound of bird seed. I carefully carried it home in its brown paper bag, holding it tight so as not to spill a single seed.
I carried out my small rocking chair into the yard and positioned it on the path, to the side of the outdoor coal bunker. I wrapped my knees up with a blanket and, armed with my latest book I bought myself from the school book club, 101 Dalmatians by Dodie Smith, scattered some of the bird seed on the floor directly in front of me…… and waited, as quiet and as still as I could muster.
It had never occurred to me that the proximity of the birdseed to my feet would deter even the most bold of blackbirds and to this day, when I think of this, I am shocked and full of awe at what happened in a few short moments. Suddenly, the ground before me was full of birds of all shapes and sizes, pecking at the seed, very close to my toes, flying off and coming back in a jiffy with the same urgency. As quickly as the seed disappeared, I would gently place my hand in the bag, carefully not to rustle to scare, and replenish. Their boldness perhaps an indication of little mouths to feed.
An exhausting process form start to finish!
There is something so incredibly miraculous about the development of a bird.
From the peril of being laid in a hopefully secure, well built nest
To the reliance on parents that can incubate successfully.
Next, the avoidance of predators raiding the nest to feed their own young
To the delicate process of hatching.
Then comes the fraught time for the parents to feed the helpless, bald chicks, reliant on finding the right food under difficult weather conditions and avoiding predators themselves. The parents have to ensure that all get adequate amounts or some may perish.
Finally, when the hatchlings have sufficient feather covering, they need to be encouraged to be brave enough to leave their nest. That must be the scariest time of all, both for fledglings and parents alike.
Once they have mastered flying, they need to learn quickly to fend for themselves, gathering food and avoiding being caught by the local cat or sparrowhawk.
A snippet of frenzy
Lessons for life: from tiny birds, only a few weeks old
Take that leap
Learn from others
Survive the way you want to
Stay hidden until you feel safe in your surroundings (especially for the introverts)
Trust no-one until they prove their worth (for the ones who have been let down)
I am curious:
What baby birds have you seen lately?
What elements of nature do you like watching?
Writerly challenge:
Can you write a Haiku about this stage in the season?
Please feel free to share in the comments, I would love to read them.
Yes it’s pretty crazy here as well. Some of the poor parents look so knackered and dishevelled, I hope they get a rest soon. We seem to have a few baby blackbirds right now, and I fear for them on the ground - so vulnerable, so dim. Bless them.