Mama Bird

May I introduce to you a Northern Cardinal, female. Native bird to Kentucky. I didn't know her face until today. I heard the chirping of birds outside of my office window for the last week. I knew a family had made a home.

This morning I noticed 2 small mounds on the walk by the window. I took a closer look and realized they were 2 of the baby birds - featherless, helpless, alone. They'd fallen out of the nest. Pushed out because the nest was overcrowded? Wind? Predator? I don't know the cause - just the end result.

One was dead. Another still moving. I couldn't hear a sound, but I imagined a whimper. I stood by my window and yearned to weep. Life and death. I know this is a frequent occurrence in the life of birds, but today it struck a chord. You see, it's been a tough week - stress to the point of heartburn, and many moments of frustration and anger at the apparent incompetence of others. Suddenly, things fell into perspective - I've allowed my job to became one great ball of stress. I can't let it control my life. As silly as this may sound, seeing the dead baby bird and its brother/ sister struggling to stay alive, I felt my perspective realign.

A short time later, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Mama was flying. Chirping a call. Searching for her lost ones. And then a surprise - the baby bird moved. Her very body responding to the call of her mother. Struggling to move and make a sound. Mama heard the cry of her young. And flitted about - determined, searching, calling out . . .

At this point, my heart was sad. I couldn't watch anymore. I closed the blind and walked away. I'm not sure how the story played out. Later in the afternoon, when I looked out, the only baby bird left was the one dead from the beginning. I heard the sound of chirping in the tree. I'd like to think Mama and Papa bird figured out a way to get baby bird back to the nest. This is my happy ending. I know what the reality is . . . but the truth will not be spoken here tonight. I like my happy place where it is.

Thank you to this photographer for the use of his picture from the web.
http://i.pbase.com/o6/74/498174/1/71332666.0zbCa6tB.IMG_4062640jpcurv.jpg