A small bird emerged from the far side of the meadow, swept across the clearing, and landed on my shoulder just as a stranger appeared.
His eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hair. “How did you do that?”
I struggled not to laugh. “Easy. I just called Birrr-Deee.” Then I walked back into the woods.
The mockingbird on my shoulder pecked at my earlobe and I gave him a snack from my pocket. I had found him as a tiny pink hatchling with no feathers, merely tiny sheaths like plastic straws. I searched for a nest, but found only the remnants left after the storm. I hid and watched, but no mother bird appeared.
His eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hair. “How did you do that?”
I struggled not to laugh. “Easy. I just called Birrr-Deee.” Then I walked back into the woods.
The mockingbird on my shoulder pecked at my earlobe and I gave him a snack from my pocket. I had found him as a tiny pink hatchling with no feathers, merely tiny sheaths like plastic straws. I searched for a nest, but found only the remnants left after the storm. I hid and watched, but no mother bird appeared.
The baby bird looked fearlessly into my eyes and I knew I couldn’t just leave him there. So I fixed up a box with straw and a heating lamp. I called him “Birdy”, unwilling to give a better name since I doubted he would live. I fed him constantly, whenever I wasn’t working as a swimming instructor or lifeguard at the community pool. And he grew feathers.
He hopped and flapped his wings but tried little else. So I helped him learn to fly. One day he flew away, as I had hoped. He was free.
I knew he might still need supplements as he tried new foods in the forest, so I carried snacks with me and called to him in the nearby meadow, using the same two “bir-dy” call notes. He often came to my call, and it felt magical.
He hopped and flapped his wings but tried little else. So I helped him learn to fly. One day he flew away, as I had hoped. He was free.
I knew he might still need supplements as he tried new foods in the forest, so I carried snacks with me and called to him in the nearby meadow, using the same two “bir-dy” call notes. He often came to my call, and it felt magical.
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