Thursday, July 8, 2010

Baby bird update

So, the gourd nest is quiet this afternoon.  I can't remember if it was quiet this morning or not, but I do remember from previous clutches, that the babies get REALLY LOUD and REALLY PUSHY just before they try leaving the nest.  Looks like that was what I was hearing and seeing last night.

This morning, before I left for work, I tossed several handsful of Cheerios around the backyard for the girls to find and eat.  (At the Zoo they have a fancy name for this: "enrichment.")  As I walked around the yard with the girls following me excitedly, I heard a funny squawk and looked down to see a fuzzy, wet (it was drizzling) baby bird.  Bonnie saw it a second latter and grabbed it in her mouth.  Well trained dog that she is, she dropped it when I said "drop it."  BUT, I failed to say "leave it" and a second later she scarfed it up, chomped a couple of times, swallowed--and the baby bird was GONE!  Before my very eyes!

Nature can be cruel!  My nephew was reminded of that just this week on a trip to Africa.  Africa, OK.  One would expect to get that reminder in Africa!  But, in my backyard?

1 comment:

betty said...

oh my gosh! I expected this from perhaps Darby, but Bonnie??? I can't imagine......

betty