Chicks

I have to tell you that I hate birds. There are many reasons.

1) I once had a psychotic bird that was abusive to me. All I did was try to love it, but it would lash out at me. It was a love bird that my brother inherited from a friend, then he gave it to me (he didn't tell me it was crazy), and then I gave it to my other brother who eventually killed it. I don't know details, but I don't think it was on purpose. In any event, no one was sad.

2) Birds chirping at 5 in the morning outside my bedroom window does not please me.

3) A bird crapped on me once. I was like 7, but I still harbor resentment.

4) Once we were driving to Las Vegas and a bird flew into our windshield and was obliterated. I was quite startled and probably screamed like a banshee.

5) I grew up near some people that have- yes HAVE....STILL HAVE a cockatoo that they put on their back porch during the warm months. It squawks and squawks and squawks and squawks all day. My brothers tried to shoot it with their BB guns, to no avail. When we go to my mom's house on Sundays during the summer, we hear that squawking and I just can't believe that bird still isn't dead.

So now we have this bird's nest in our tree. The mom bird sat on her eggs diligently, and a couple of weeks ago they hatched. I have to say that my heart has been softened a little by watching this mommy bird care for her babies. She made the nest out of twigs, twine, and even some birthday ribbon is woven in there. We see her flying around the yard with worms in her mouth. When we try to get close to see the chicks, she makes sure to fly right into the nest to let us know we need to back off. The little birds are big enough now that their beaks are hanging out of the sides of the nest, open and waiting for their mom to bring them some food. It's cute. We feel sort of honored that she chose our tree to make her home in. I still don't love birds, but I think I kinda like the birds in our tree.

Cute, huh?  Just don't poop on me, little birdies, or wake me up, or fly into my windshield, and we'll get along juuuuust fine.