Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The Widow Bluebird

I'm very sad.  My Daddy Bluebird has disappeared.  He has been gone for 2 days now.  I know that if he was alive he would be here taking care of his wife and babies.  So I can only assume the worst.  I'm thinking a cat or a hawk got him.  

I first noticed him missing yesterday evening.  I didn't see him when I fed them, only Momma was there.  I was busy so I didn't give it much thought.  Then this morning, the same thing, only Momma was around again.  That's when I started to get worried.  As soon as I got home from work today I scoured the yard and there is no sign of him, not even a feather. 

I feel bad enough that he is no longer here for me to enjoy but I feel even worse for Momma Bluebird.  She is a devoted Momma and is trying her best to feed those 5 babies on her own.  It just breaks my heart watching her.  Do you think birds can feel abandoned and alone?  She sure looks lonely to me.  Maybe my imagination is getting carried away.    
The only thing I can think of to do is put out more mealworms than usual.  When I put out the worms Momma crams as many as she can at once in her beak and takes them into the house to the babies.  I can hear the babies chirping away.  She does this over and over until the worms are gone.  Then she sits on the feeder and stares in my direction as if she asking and waiting for me to bring her more worms. 

I hope her and the babies do OK.  If it was a hawk that got Daddy Bluebird then I guess that is the cycle of life but if I find out that a cat got my Bluebird then I'm going to be on the war path.   

4 comments:

Ben said...

Single moms have their work cut out for them! And, yeah, I like cats but really dislike some of their instincts.

Jen said...

Oh so sad! :(
Same thing happened to my Flycatcher-both of them so the poor babies did not make it. You are doing a great job helping her out.

Shelley said...

This breaks my heart! I'm glad you're giving them extra mealworms!!

Minerva said...

Think of it this way- she's not alone. She has you to help.