May 20th
This weekend has been extra busy for me, as I have been trying my best to fit working out, basketball, baseball, schoolwork, and personal outdoor time into each day. Amongst my bustle, I try my best to remain in the moment and few things force me to slow down and appreciate the intricacies of life more than the blue bird nest on my bedroom window. Every day, whether in the morning before class, afternoon in-between activities, or at night as the sunsets, I make sure I take a few minutes to observe the newly hatched blue bird chicks.
Four years ago, during Christmas, I received the plastic, wall-mounted bird box that now is such a meaningful source of peace and excitement. I remember it came with several fittings for the eyehole, each for a different species of bird. I chose the smallest one, designed specifically for a blue bird, and put it up that spring. Nothing nested inside it for the next two years, except for a small group of wasps who decided to construct a small nest. Have wasps sheltering right outside my room, and directly over the garden, was less than thrilling for both me and my parents but we never took the house down. Our patience was rewarded the next spring when we started seeing clumps of straw appearing randomly within the box. Soon enough the box was just under half way full of straw and my excitement was already bubbling. Strange enough, the architect of this home never showed themselves until it was time to lay their eggs. Admittedly, I did not pay too much attention to the nest last year. Aside from the occasional glace every now-and-then, I was much too distracted by baseball and school to observe thoughtfully.
This year, thanks to both he quarantine and this intensive, this nest has become very valuable to me. The straw did not clear out from last year but I watched as the female bluebird stopped by multiple times a day to deposit fresh straw. I was careful to leave my curtain closed for fear of spooking or stressing the expectant mother, but I couldn’t help peeking inside multiple times a day. I only saw the eggs once while the mother was gone and they were much smaller than I expected. In seemingly no time at all, those eggs transformed into 5 chicks. I figure they must’ve hatched this Friday as I remember seeing them eyes-closed, with their feathers not even visible yet. As of now, their eyes are still closed but their feathers are beginning to grow in. Their quiet yet playful chirps alert me that a parent as returned with food, generally an insect of some kind. Even as I slept this morning, I remember hearing their chirps. It’s hard to explain how you can be 99% asleep yet still distinctly hear each chirp and cry from your new neighbors, but the feeling it provides is delicate and ever so pleasant. Whenever I stray too close to the nest, the father or mother retreat to the garden fence a few feet away and provide me with a great look at their colorful feathers. I’m excited to watch these babies grow and I will definitely miss them once they leave the nest.
Comments