One of the bright moments in these dark genocidal times was a mother robin’s construction of a nest on the ledge above my front door window.
For weeks, I watched with fascination as she built the nest, which I could observe from my living room couch. Amazing to see the construction materials she used.
I was crushed, when after a week or so, she seemed to have abandoned those efforts.
But a few days later she returned, apparently to lay eggs and sit on the nest constantly.
Sure enough, weeks later 4 chicks were hatched.
I watched mesmerized by the female robin’s constant feeding of 4 hungry chicks.
As they grew, I noticed that the nest was not well constructed like the standard bowl shaped nest. It was deformed on one side and built more like a flat pancake that was tilted towards dumping the chicks onto the sidewalk.
I mentioned that to a wonderful new neighbor, and she suggested a fix. Minutes later, she and her visiting father arrived and drilled a support board across the ledge to protect the chicks from falling out of the nest. How good is that?
This morning, I noticed unusual frantic activity in the nest. Chicks were flapping their wings, strutting, and leaving the nest to walk along the window ledge.
Late this afternoon, as I sat outside for an afternoon beer, a chick dropped down almost my shoulder and landed on my planter box. The chick attempted to fly but couldn’t get airborne. It then hopped to the sidewalk and across the street.
We later went for a walk with Charlie. When I returned, another chick was perched on my chair and rapidly hopped off as we approached.
I looked at the nest and all 4 chicks were gone. Mom was screeching and flying around frantically.
I had an empty feeling – kind of like the feeling I had when my own 2 kids left the nest and set out on their own paths.
Joni Mitchell’s Circle game came to mind.