Bird Haven

We have had more than our share of baby birds in our yard this year. We had a couple of dove who bailed early from the nest and momma had to hang around with them on the ground until they were old enough to fly. Then today, I went outside to check the grill and found this little guy underneath the grill. He tried to fly out into the yard and then eventually over to the large tree near the clubhouse. He tried a couple of times to fly up into the tree, but didn't have the strength to do it. I finally felt so sorry for him, I went and got the shovel and convinced him to step onto the blade, so I could give him a lift up into the tree. This photo was right after that. He then hopped higher up into the tree and when we got ready to come in tonight, we could hear him and momma saying their goodnight prayers. OK, I really have no clue what they were saying, but I could hear them!


I think he may have been after this...


Grilled Lemon Pepper Catfish and Corn. Mmmm ... mmmmm ... mmmmmm!

Surprise Back Home

I opened the door after returning from Abilene to an awful racket in the chimney. Upon further inspection, I see a nest with three very baby birds...


...down in the bottom of the fireplace. I watched for a while and decided the mother could not get all the way down the chimney, so very carefully, without touching the birds, moved the nest to one of my hanging plants that had been repositioned slightly under the eave next to the fireplace. It would have been easier to just pick them up with my hands, which come to find out, is highly permissible since birds have a terrible sense of smell. That "don't touch the birds or the mother will abandon them" is an old wives tale.

That was Saturday and we have not seen any sign of any parental activity, but are still holding out hope. Birds may also be hard of hearing, because that would be the only way any parent bird within the South Plains or Panhandle of Texas could not hear this birds chirp. We hear them and run to the window, which may be why we never see any parents - we may be scaring them off.

As of Monday night, they are still the the basket - we will keep you posted.