ATTACK!!!

What's that circling my head? Is it a mechanical plane? Is it a UFO? No, it's the ATTACK Bird!!

"Come here, quickly!" my daughter-in-law said, "but be very quiet". The grand-kids and I excitably rushed outside. "Look, there they are!" She whispered and pointed to a branch in our Sago Palm. There on a sturdy branch was a nest with 4 small baby birds with no feathers! I couldn't believe that a nest would be built in our Sago Palm, and only about 4 feet off the ground! The baby birds were so cute as they opened and closed their beaks and made soft sounds. After we all had a peek, we left to give them privacy. "I hope a cat doesn't get them," I said as we walked away. We were all concerned why a Mommy bird would build a nest so low.

The next morning as I walked the kids to the bus stop, we checked on the birds again. The two boys from next door wanted to see, so they peeked at the baby birds, also.

It was fun taking photos as the baby birds quickly grew and got feathers. The Mommy and Daddy birds were often "On Lookout" on our roof or in a nearby tree to make sure we didn't harm their offspring. We were all very careful to keep a safe distance, and we never tried to touch their nest. 

Cute little baby birds!!

Everything was going great with the bird-watching until that ill-fated day. I had just put the grand-kids on the bus after the morning ritual of checking on the birds and returned to my home to get some things ready to mail. I took the items to my mailbox and was walking back on my driveway toward my front door when tremendous squawking began! 

A parent bird (I think it was the Daddy) was on our rooftop making ear-deafening sounds and prancing around angrily as he glared at me. As I took a few steps closer, the attack began. With barreling speed, he swooped off the roof and flew straight at me. It all happened so quickly, I was frozen in my tracks! I grabbed my head and tried to side-step, and he circled my head not once but twice! He then soared back to the roof-top and began the squawking ritual again!

Ready to attack!!

Another bird (I assume Mommy) was in a nearby tree, and they were squawking to each other! It was rather terrifying!

I knew this is my property, but for then I wisely decided to let the birds have that section of the yard! Instead of continuing on the driveway I walked across my yard to the front door, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I was safely inside!

I shared my "bird attack" with the family, and fortunately no one else had a similar episode. I still occasionally took a brief peek at the birds after looking around to make sure the parents weren't in sight. My daughter-in-law continued to take photos, but I didn't dare. The baby birds continue to grow quickly until it looked like they were too big for the nest!

And then the second attack happened! This time I was walking down my driveway toward my home when, without warning, a parent bird zoomed directly at me! I covered my head with my arms and ran across the yard to my front door with lightning speed!

Okay, I had learned my lesson! Keep away from the bird nest! 

One day, after making sure no birds were on the rooftop or in the trees, I bravely took another look, and the nest was empty. I breathed another sigh of relief that the nightmare was finally over, or so I thought.

Empty nest??

My relief was short-lived, however. The next day there was squawking again from the tree and from my roof! The bird on my roof had a worm in its mouth and was fidgeting nervously!

Questions and thoughts:

• The birds are gone, why is Mommy bird here to feed them?
• Did a cat get the baby birds?
• Do birds get "empty nest syndrome"? 

Baby Bird, where are you?

Later, when things quieted down and no birds were in sight, I heard a "chirp-chirp" from the Sago Palm. I re-examined the nest, and it was still empty. The next day when I heard "chirp-chirping" again, I discovered a baby bird was hiding behind one of my flower pots! Evidently, this one was having a difficult time learning to fly! I left it alone, again hoping that a cat didn't get it before it flew away!

Again, I was amazed at how the parent birds care for and protect their offspring!

The empty nest

The story doesn't stop there! A couple of days later, I opened my garage door, and there, directly in front of me just inside the garage door, was the baby bird! He was standing bravely, making low "squawks" as he glared at me. Evidently he had already been warned about me from the parents! I stopped my car and got out, hoping to persuade him to leave the garage peacefully. At that point, he did a low fly a few feet, and then again until he ended up on the other side of the garage on a chunk of wood under a bow case.

And that's where I left him! After I put my car in the garage, I left the other garage door open, and hoped that he would leave. During the day, I would periodically hear low "chirps and squawks" from the garage and know he was still there. By evening he was gone, and things were quiet again.

Garage Intruder??

Even now, I am puzzled as to why I was the sole target for the bird attacks, but at least there's been no recent bird encounters.

Still, when I am alone and defenseless in the pool, I sometimes hear "SQUAWK" conversations from several birds in the neighboring trees, and I get a little anxious. I guess it's the "Bird Family" relieving the adventure of taking over my Sago Palm, and the humor of making a grown Human run for her life! 

Breakfast, anyone?