Libra's Journal

This journal entry is made less than 30 days since my last post!  Maybe I'm becoming more comfortable with my journal.  It's more likely that it's 4:00 a.m. and I can't think of anything less strenuous to do, lo.  There is sleep of course, but it evades me tonight.

I wasn't very productive today; actually not the least bit productive.  We did have some excitement here this afternoon tho.  The baby Mockingbirds left the nest!!!  A pair of Mockingbirds built their nest on top of my back door light.  The light is even with the top of the door frame, and either of my larger dogs could have reached it easily; without a jump-up or any effort at all.  Amazingly, they did not! 

This morning when I went outside for my early "walk-around-the-backyard", I saw the four baby birds peeking out of their nest.  Neither of the parents were in sight nor were they around about twenty minutes later when I went back inside.  I had never before known the mother to be out of the nest for more than three to five minutes at a time and, then, during feeding.  When I was inside, sipping on that second cup of caffeine, I decided to take a photo of the babies.  It was the first time I had ever seen all four all in line at the top of the nest.  And, I had a feeling that something big was in the works in bird world.  I just learned how to use my digital camera last weekend and knew only the basics.  Looking at the review feature of the  camera, it appears that I got a couple of good shots.  I checked on them on and off during the day and neither of the parents ever returned to the nest.  A couple of times I did see them flying over.  At 6:00 p.m. when I went outside it had been almost two hours since I had checked on them.  Lo, they were gone! 

I walked down the path on the left side of the swamp area of my yard.  All of a sudden a Mockingbird swooped down over my head and landing on a tree branch about two feet from me , he gave me a quite a lecture.  He made it very clear to me that I was persona non gratis.  He then flew to the top of a tree on the island.  (The island lies within the  perimeter of my creek and is canopied with  trees as is the rest of the swamp.)  I decided to make my way over to the other side of the island to see what I could see.  Because I was wearing sandals I had to return to the upper yard and access the  path on the right side of he island.  I walked  only about 20 feet when the Mockingbird swooped me again.  He landed on a branch no more than 15  inches from my face, but this time he was silent.  Not a peep!  I just stood in that spot and looked straight ahead.  Then I saw the baby!  Right in front of me; on  a branch no more than 12  inches from the ground.  I turned around and walked  back up the path to the upper yard.  Once I reached the upper yard, I hurried to my bedroom to retrieve my camera.  All of a sudden I thought it very important that I get a photo of the baby on the last leg of his  journey into the bird world.  The camera wasn't working and I had no idea what I needed to do.  I decided to get my Polaroid.  Of course it didn't have film in it.  Another five minutes and I had found and installed the film.  By this time I had been in the house about 15 minutes, and I was feeling panicky.  I just knew that the baby was going to be gone by the time I made it down to his tree.  But he was still there!!! He had moved to a branch about two feet above his previous perch.  He was making progress.  The adult Mockingbird was still there; on a different tree but in full view.  I walked over to the baby's tree and moving as close to him as the tree would allow I took two shots of him.  There was no commotion and  not a sound from the baby, the "guard" bird or the others.  The photos were perfect!!!

Later, just before dark I went back down to the baby's tree.  He was gone.  He had made it to the top of the island trees!  The babies have flown the nest, successfully!!!  I'm the tiniest bit sad but extremely relieved.