And Then There Were None

The birds are gone. It was so wonderful to watch how they did it....

"Mom" couldn't figure out how to get to her babies, so Bruce took down the cage and put the birds in a box, placing the box back on top of the building. From there it was just amazing to watch this mother bird communicate to her children on how to get back home.

The first bird jumped out of the box, and let me just say that the box was not shallow. It was rather deep. Anyway, the first little one jumped out and waited for his mother. She swooped down and dropped something in his mouth. Then she opened her feathers, did a little dance, sqwaked something at him and off the babe flew into the trees. She flew into the tree above the box. A moment later, the second baby hopped out. He wasn't as steady as the first and hopped, hopped, hopped all over the roof of Bruce's building. It was so cute. Again, mom flew down, dropped something in his mouth, spread her feathers, did a little dance, and the baby flew into the trees. The babies didn't fly far by any means. But what struck me was that both mom AND dad were in the trees directing their young. The father chased after the second one while mom chased the first.

I suppose they must have been worried about their children last night and imagine that they are enjoying their reunion in a new nest somewhere close in our woods. Now I need a Blue Jay feeder so they'll come back and see me.

"Are All The Children In?"

I think ofttimes as the night draws nigh

Of an old house on the hill,

Of a yard all wide and blossom-starred

Where the children played at will.

And when the night at last came down,

Hushing the merry din,

Mother would look around and ask,

"Are all the children in?"

'Tis many and many a year since then,

And the old house on the hill

No longer echoes to childish fee,

And the yard is still, so still.

But I see it all as the shadows creep;

And though many the years have been,

Even now I can hear my mother ask,

"Are all the children in?"

I wonder if, when the shadows fall

On the last short, earthly day;

When we say goodby to the world outside,

All tired with our childish play;

When we step out into that Other Land

Where Mother so long has been,

Will we hear her ask, as we did of old,

"Are all the children in?"

And I wonder, too, what the Lord will say

To us older children of His;

Have we cared for the lambs?

Have we showed them the fold?

A privilege joyful it is.

And I wonder, too, what our answers will be

When His loving questions begin:

"Have you heeded My voice?"

"Have you told of My love?"

"Have you brought the children in?"