The Miracle of Nature - Spring 2017
I’m republishing this event that I was fortunate enough to experience in Spring 2017. When it occurred does not take away from how I felt as nature played out something that I can’t help but describe as miraculous. I’d witnessed something similar when I was a kid, but as an adult, it was something else. And this time it was from a closer vantage point.
Thapson
The Birds Move In
I have a light fixture I leave open in my balcony to string out lights during the festive season. Well this Spring a couple of what I thought were House Sparrows decided to build a nest in this open space. I can see it clearly from where I sit in my Home Office and was initially alarmed at the prospect of a nest in that fixture. But then I decided to let nature take its course. Sure enough, once the nest was complete, the mommy bird sat in it for long durations. I observed everything very quietly without any quick moves lest I scare it away. I waited patiently and after a few days, I sensed some extra presence in the nest.
“…I would, very slowly, climb on a footstool and observe the bundles cuddling with each other…”
Time for the Cigars!
Yep, little furry stirrings indicated that the eggs had hatched and our babies had arrived. But it was still kind of early, so all I could see was shivering fur. But it wasn’t long before I heard some tiny chirps. Mommy and Daddy bird would fly away and return with food. Every time they came back, these little mouths would open wide as tiny bits of food was dropped into them. Absolutely wonderful stuff! Once the parents were away, I would, very slowly, climb on a footstool and observe the bundles cuddling with each other as the cool spring winds howled around outside the light fixture.
Initial Observations
There were five chicks in all and they differed in size and the speed at which they were growing. So, they actually ‘grew’ one after the other with the biggest clambering over its smaller siblings. I would make birdy sounds and they would cock their heads ever so slightly but with a distrusting attitude as they were already hard wired to only respond to the sounds their parents made. I was fascinated. At first, they resembled small furry balls. But pretty soon, the fur molted to reveal small feathery bodies. At first their eyes seemed to be closed, but in time I saw little black shiny dots as they started observing their surroundings.
Interesting Discovery
To say I was enthralled would be an understatement. As I observed all this unfolding, I began Googling these birds in earnest. And the results were educational and scary at the same time. I found out that because their daddy had a bright red chest and a long red shaded tail, these were not House Sparrows, but House Finch. They got this coloring due their diet being primarily bright fruits and seeds and not worms and the like. They are originally from the West Coast and have migrated to the East as result of human intervention. And the what scared me was that they would be around for a very short time. I should expect the babies to fly away from the nest over an 8-14-day period.
House Finch / AllAboutBirds.org
Recording it All
I had never anticipated that and realized this was going to be a very temporary experience and I should make the best of it. I started observing them almost all the time once I sat at my desk and snapped pictures as often as I could. Unfortunately, my camera is not so sophisticated and the light was on the wrong end of the nest so I was unable to get the nest and the inhabitants in more clearly without using the flash – something I hated doing. The parents were so ‘on the edge’ as they were aware of my presence, that I was unable to capture them in my shots as they would fly away at the slightest movement.
Growing by the Day
Meanwhile the ‘babies’ were growing by the day. They started fluttering their wings preparing for the flight out – much to my chagrin. Precisely after 8 days, the parents were only seen in the nest when they had to feed their babies. The nestlings started chirping and the parents would chirp out a particular tune from far away. Whenever the parents did this, the kids would cock their heads at an attentive angle. I tried my best to imitate the parental call to grab their attention to no avail. The babies never bought it.
Leaving the Nest
Then around the 10th day onward, I noticed a kid missing every other day from the nest signifying someone had flown the nest. Man, I wish I could catch them flying away! But I had work to do.I did manage to witness at least two of them leave. It happened instantaneously, almost anti-climatically. One of them would flutter their wings and settle down. Flutter again, settle down again while backing away from the edge of the nest after almost flying off. All this while, the parents would be chirping encouragement from the sidelines. Then, quite suddenly, one would just fly away without hesitation. Each time there was one less chick in the nest, my hear would sink as I knew it was only a matter of time the last one left. And there was nothing I could do about it – it was the law of nature.
And Then There Were None
Over the 10-14-day period since they had hatched, I saw the babies leave the nest on an almost regular basis, never to return. 5, 4, 3, and then there were two left. And over course of the last couple of days, almost like clockwork, there was only one left. I almost felt sorry for the last one. Then suddenly after a day, the last one too flew off without me even noticing it. One second it was there, and a few minutes later when I checked, the nest was empty! I was left with a very empty, lonely feeling as ‘my’ babies with whom I had developed a bond, had cut lose and gone on their merry way.
A Changed Man
I worried for them and hoped they’d survive to live out a long, safe, and successful life. I wondered if they ever re-united with their parents once leaving the nest. My wife thought I was going crazy, but what can I say, I was a sucker for them. This experience left me with a renewed respect for, and awe, of nature. If you’ve experienced something similar you know exactly what I mean.
I have more photos and video clips, but feel they aren’t up to the quality that deserve to be on my post.
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