Living together, man and beast.

I think I may have mentioned the chick-a-dees have returned to my condo this year, and over the last week I've been watching mom and dad work from dawn to dusk bringing food to the baby/babies.  There is something special about watching nature at work.  I spend hours at it.

However, nature often throws curve balls I don't see coming.  

When I first put the bird house out for the year, the first prospective tenant's were a pair of house finches.  I watched them a whole day trying to figure out how to get through the condo doorway.  They could not, for you see they are just an isty-bitsy too big.  They eventually gave up and flew away.

Very soon there after I saw the chick-a-dees checking out the 'pad'.   They left and I didn't see them again for several days.  I've heard birds will sometimes start a couple of nests over the mating season, and I thought perhaps the chick-a-dees found a more suitable abode and my house would remain empty this year.

When I caught them bringing moss and downy stuff to the house I knew I had 'lucked out' again, and Zorro and I began to use the back way out of the house in order to reach the front so as not to disturb the little bird family.  When I found them bringing food, I was ecstatic.

Then, yesterday came the fly in the ointment.  The finches came back.  They hovered about on the gutter, the phone lines, the down spout and the roof of the birdhouse.  There was no doubt about it...they were being bullies, very persistent bullies.  I could hear the chick-a-dees chattering close by, but they would not come to the house as long as the finches were there.  

I was not a happy camper.  So, I abandoned most of my activities and took over the job of sentinel.  Every  time I saw the finches I would go to the door, pull back the sheer and if necessary tap on the storm door glass.  They would fly away, but for quite some time they would return and harass the chick-a-dees.

My persistence was stronger than theirs and by late afternoon they gave up and flew away.

I'm sure the chick-a-dees were grateful though I can never be sure they will know I was their protector.  I simply know it's not an easy job raising a family, and if I was able to help in the smallest way, I not only could and should help, that was what I had to do.

Maybe that's why I'm come to grips with having Bobby and his/her family about.  I put Bobby outside the other day, after I knocked him/her onto the floor, and later almost stepping on him/her.  I had hopes this time outdoors would be more appealing.  But, guess what...yesterday afternoon I was in the garage looking for something (for the life of me I can't remember what) when I glanced at the garage door window and there, slowly meandering across the glass was...Bobby?  If not him, it must have been a sibling, or perhaps an extended family member. (Sigh). Should I put this Shield Bug out, or let it simply do whatever the heck it wants to do...I turned and walked away.

I have got to tell you, looking after nature is hard work...I don't know how God does it.