One down, one to go!

The two little Mockingbirds that I fostered have done remarkable well. I released them into the yard last week even though I was not sure they were quite ready to be on their own. I was right. Even though they were happy to be free, they still returned to be fed numerous times during the day and then at night would cling to the screen door. I would open the door and these two little rascals would head for their tiny bird cage. I had at one time moved them into the much larger dog crate but at night they seem to crave the confines of the smaller cage. There they would sing the night through..keeping me awake! Thinking that I could solve the problem, I moved the dog crate out to the table in the rose garden and Son devised a roof over it to provide shade. A bowl of food and another of fresh water were set in the crate. A few oak branches were strategically placed across the bars of the crate as roosting places. Ahh, the perfect summer home for two young birds! Not so..even though they would fly in to eat and roost for a few minutes, invariably as evening settled, the birds would be clinging to the screen again. Ezzy, the dog, would bark to let me know of their arrival..she wanted her babies back inside with her! Into the cage they would fly as soon as the door was opened.

Shelby after getting a drink from the Puddlepond!

The larger of the two, Knox, was much braver. He would fly far and wide. I never knew where this guy was. Sometimes I would see him as far as my brother's place and one time, he met me at the end of the pier. Shelby, on the other hand, stayed near the rose garden. She would venture down the hill a bit or to the tomato garden but never strayed far. I think her injuries set her a tad behind Knox in the motor skills department. She could fly nicely but for some reason, her confidence was lacking. What she lacked in some areas though, she made up for in others. Shelby was the first to find water and that bathtime could be fun! She started singing before Knox and also had the sense to scurry into the rose vines when danger lurked.

Knox hunting for breakfast!

Today was a drippy sort of day. It rained most of the day and occasionally a thunderstorm would blow things around a bit. Still, Knox took off with his usual gusto and I did not see him for the rest of the day. Shelby stayed close. She followed me to the pier and then to the grape arbor. At the arbor she caught two grasshoppers and one leafhopper. She ate from the bowl three times and found that she would stay dry in the dog crate. She was happy. This evening at dark, Ezzy barked once to let me know I had visitors at the door. Only this time, it was just one little bird. Shelby wanted in for the night. I called for Knox and he answered from the Camellia bush. I called again thinking he might want to eat but he kept his distance. Knox had flown the coop! He was on his own! I knew that he must be hunting since he refused food and the wild must have called him since he refused shelter. My little fellow had grown up and was not dependent on me any longer! I was proud!

Shelby..in for the night!

Now I have only one bird in the cage which is a good thing being as it is a tight fit. Shelby is happy to be inside safe from the weather. She knows that at daybreak, she will be fed and that I will open the door for her when she decides it is time to go outside. She knows that during the day, blackberries, bananas, and suet (along with a few spaghetti noodles!) will be in a dish for her. She knows that at night she will have a safe place to spend the night...at least for a few more times! Then Shelby, too, will fly the coop! .......And I will have an empty nest!