Bird Happy

If you listen and watch carefully the earth speaks to you. I often get giddy as the beauty of Mother Nature unfolds around me. Like a child with bright eyes and a heart opened wide I'm fascinated by the ripples in a brook, the softness of lush moss growing up the side of tree, and the sparkle of a spider web wet from the morning dew. When I am bestowed with a "God Gift" I get especially excited and will run like lightening to retrieve my camera so I can freeze a moment in time.

Two such occasions happened over the weekend and I was so thrilled to have caught them both in stills - which is rare for me since I'm usually so shaky with excitement that I can't get a clear picture.

First up it was feeding time at a popular bird house in our side garden. So far this year we've hosted 3 bird families here - a titmouse family, then some chickadees, and now sparrows.

As though catching a feeding on digital wasn't thrilling enough I was soon to be treated to another God Gift as I weeded a raised bed. While I knelt down next to the bed I felt something ever so lightly brush up against my leg. It was so soft that at first I thought it was just the wind breezing by (or maybe delirium from too much weeding). But then I caught something out of the corner of my eye - a hoping fluffy ball like a cotton puff dipped in ink. Hop, hop, and hop again - I watched as it bounced by me chirping ever so softly.

My heart started to race as well as my thoughts. "My God it's a baby robin!" I yelled. "It must have fallen from the nest!" I said out loud even though no one was around to hear me. I followed the little fluff as it hopped away - I noticed its feathers were still wet with newness.

Immediately my thoughts turned to how I would rescue the baby bird. Should I pick it up and take it home? Surely it wouldn't survive without some assistance. Thankfully I didn't have to think too long as Mama and Papa soon arrived on the scene thoroughly annoyed (or should I say furious) at my presence. As loving parents should they protected their young by squawking at me and diving for my head - I was never so thankful to be the target of a bird attack!

Amazingly Mama and Papa guided their baby back to the nest in the thicket of a conifer where its siblings waited for the lost one's safe return. Finally the fledgling took its place back in the comfort of its protective family. I then let out a loud sigh of relief as I thanked God for allowing me to experience this precious gift.