Sunday, June 7, 2009

Birds in the Belfry

The strangest thing happened tonight walking my dog. We came upon a bird in the middle of the road, just sitting still. I approached it, thinking my movement would make it fly away, I was hoping to get it out of traffic. It didn't move so I nudged it with my foot and it just took a little hop. I nudged again and it flew up and landed on the dog's leash. I gently walked it back to the sidewalk and tried to shake it off in the grass near some bushes but it held on. I shook a little harder but it held fast, it even swung around like a gymnast on the leash. So we took up walking, I walked all the way home, hoping to get a picture of it but it flew away just as the camera came out. I believe it was a baby cardinal, it had little tufts of baby feathers, a fledgling. I was so relieved to see it fly and it did go high, right up into a tree. I had started to wonder what the heck I was going to do with it. And that white bush on my neighbor's property? It is bridal veil spirea. I thought it was called that because it would make a beautiful cascading bouquet but it also turns to confetti at a certain stage. Here, after my dog walked under one of those bushes, she even got some in her eye:

4 comments:

Snap said...

It is definitely bird baby time. We watched a baby mockingbird on the ground -- just walking around. We didn't get too close in case Mom and was nearby. We didn't want to get dive bombed. Baby walked around a while ... probably 5 minutes ... then Mom came by ... yelled at babe (!!!) -- something like -- get a move on! Mom flew down the block and waited in a tree and youngster flew to catch up to her. We had a baby cardinal in the garden today with Dad feeding the little one. Too cute. And, was the camera nearby .... nope. :(

Beth said...

You have the strangest (most magical!) things happen to you – finding money, this little bird...
Have you read Alice Hoffman’s book Practical Magic? Your experiences remind me of it. Perhaps you possess magical powers you’re not even aware of!

Sherry said...

My mother had one of those bushes and yes the confetti effect...your poor baby!! Not fun getting something like that in the eye.

As for the bird...you have a soul that communes with nature and the things around you -- it's a blessing you know.

Yolanda said...

When I was little I would pull these off my grannys bush and throw them up in the air like rice after a wedding.I love the expression on the dogs face too.