It is FINALLY Spring! Flowers are blooming everywhere, the scents are intoxicating, and little baby birds are hatching all over. Reminds me of a story…
Years ago I lived in Shreveport, LA. The house that I lived in had a nice, fenced-in backyard, with beautiful landscaping, flowerbeds and trees. At the time, two little toy poodles were very much a part of our family. It was Spring, and new “birth” and growth was evident everywhere! As was part of our daily routine each morning, we let the pups out to take care of “business.” Just as they stepped off the back patio onto the yard, a mama bluejay dove down from a nearby tree, and dive-bombed both of them, scaring them half to death, and startling us! We gathered both pups up and rushed back into the house. We went back out, leaving the pups inside, to investigate the situation. (Of course, we dared not step off of the patio, for fear that Mama Bluejay would dive-bomb us also!) We discovered that there were FOUR baby bluejays in various locations throughout the yard, attempting to learn to fly, and Mom and Dad were protecting them.
By now, the pups were desperate to get out in the yard, and we were trying to figure out what to do. We had plans for the day in the backyard, and knew that we needed to move the babies to a safer location. I got the bright idea that if we held an umbrella over our heads for protection, we could safely relocate each baby (using gloves, of course). Very quickly we put gloves on, got the umbrella, and went into enemy territory! As soon as we stepped off the patio, those bluejays came after us, pecking holes in the umbrella, and actually flying under the umbrella to get to us. We raced back into the house for safety, with images from Alfred Hitchcock’s movie, The Birds, flashing through our heads.
Safely back inside the house, we realized that this situation was more than what we wanted to deal with, and determined that we might need to solicit some outside help…but, who? Humane Societies were not common back then, so that was not an option. Calling the police for rescue also seemed a bit of a reach…
At this point my brain began kicking in…I thought, well if fire departments can send firemen out to climb trees to save little kitties, surely, it would fall under their responsibilities to relocate baby bluejays…So…I made the call and explained our situation. I also explained that they would not need a firetruck for this mission… Ten minutes later a huge firetruck, with sirens screaming, pulled up in front of our house, and four huge, burly fireman rushed up to our door. (So much for requesting discretion…) We all went out to the patio where I explained the morning’s “activity. ” I gave full disclosure by warning the fireman that the bluejay parents were highly agitated and would aggressively defend their babies. Being good ole’ southern boys, those firemen sorta smirked at us, a little condescendingly to my mind, and swaggered out into the yard, as we retreated into the house to watch. They had not gone two steps before Mama Bluejay chose her target well, initiated the approach, and made contact with the first fireman’s forehead. He screamed as blood rushed down his face, stating the obvious, “That bird pecked me!” The second fireman was running for his life, arms flailing about, trying to get away from Papa Bluejay. The other two fireman had played it safe and remained on the patio, trying to hide their laughter. All the while, we were standing inside the house, behind the curtains, killing ourselves laughing! And I am thinking to myself, “We DID warn you…hey, big guy, not as easy as you thought, huh?”
We got out the first aid kit, and gave the injured fireman a bandaid, while they determined their strategy. They came to the conclusion that a little more “appropriate” gear might be called for. So, they went back out to the truck (where a curious crowd of neighbors had gathered), and donned jackets and fire hats. They went back out into the backyard, and very gently and safely relocated the babies outside of the fence. Success!! We thanked them for their “heroic” actions, and expressed our sorrow that one of them had been injured during the process. Then we went out and gave explanation to the neighbors. Everyone had a good laugh!
How many times do we ignore the advice of individuals? How often do we think that we know what is best, that our way is the ONLY way? And that the other person could not possibly be right? I am going to listen, and heed, the advice that knowledgeable and experienced people give me. After all, they just might know what they’re talking about! Won’t you join me? Just for this week…
Just for this week... 
OH MY GOSH–THIS CRACKED ME UP!! Love you, keep ’em coming. xoxo, Mar
It definitely cracked us up too, Mar! I still laugh about those big guys running from those birds….Love you too!