Musings From A Housewife: momma bird

Last spring some birds built their nest on our porch. 

The nest in the corner. A string hangs from it during the building process.

Lucky us! I enjoyed watching them gathering twigs and whatnot to create a home to reproduce young of their own. I marveled at the instinct that drove them to complete their task. Soon the momma bird was sitting on her eggs. I watched papa bird (I assume it was the male but they could have been switching off, I am no ornithologist) checking on the momma bird as she waited for the eggs to hatch. Then it happened. One morning, coffee cup in hand, I went to the balcony doors per my daily routine, and I heard the sound of baby birds chirping for their lives. Again I watched the parents working tirelessly to feed their young. I marveled that I got to watch all of this unfold.

However, the next day we found the nest had fallen from its perch. The babies were already cold and lifeless. The parents did not sit on the nest again and the babies never recovered. The momma bird returned to perch on the rail and eye the babies throughout the day but eventually abandoned the nest. She and papa bird began building a new nest but this time they chose the next balcony over.

I have thought many times about those birds. The momma and papa knew instinctively that the babies were beyond saving. They somehow knew to abandon that nest site and start anew elsewhere. And why? Because, it is in their instinct to procreate and survive. Our loving Creator placed certain instincts in each of His creations. And not a sparrow falls without His noticing. He knows how many hairs we have on our heads too (got this from the Bible, Luke chapter 12). I often think back to those birds and the wonder of nature. If God so lovingly put such instincts in a bird how much more did he give to humankind. And what am I doing with this knowledge and the responsibility of it.

There are valuable lessons all around us in nature.  We will see it if we take the time to look.

The fallen nest

and momma bird.

"Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not,

neither do they reap,

nor gather into barns;

Yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.

Are ye not much better than they?"

Matthew 6:26 KJV



I love this pot belly picture of Sophie. 

Not a care in the world!