Bluebird Of Happiness  

 

For a wildlife rehabilitator, there are only two seasons; Baby Season and Non-Baby Season. With the arrival of spring comes BABY SEASON and a multitude of hungry little mouths to feed. Happy was just one of many little open-mouthed nestlings that demanded our constant attention in the beginning. But it wasn't long before this tiny creature displayed his remarkable spirit.

As with each new arrival, Happy was examined closely for injuries, placed in a nest cup with other nestlings of the approximate size, and fed a healthy bite of our baby bird food mixture, followed by a few plump mealworms and a couple slices of grapes. He was quite content with this hourly routine of baby food mix, mealworms and grapes, but was particularly fond of the mealworms.
Within days Happy was perching on the side of the nest cup and making valiant attempts to reach the lower branches in the baby enclosure. He would hop to each of the nearby nest cups curiously inspecting the other residents. Their wide gaping mouths looking up seemed to disturb Happy. 

 On one of my hourly feed rounds, I began stuffing little mouths. I placed a mealworm in Happy's mouth and watched in utter amazement as he hopped to the closest nest cup, leaned over and gently fed one of the gaping mouths. Again, I gave Happy a mealworm, and again he offered it to a hungry nestling. 

Happy and I continued this routine for several weeks. I watched this tiny precious baby feeding blue jays, robins, mockingbirds and even a barn swallow; some of them twice his size. But the day came, I knew it was time for Happy to join the fledglings in the outside aviary, where he could begin conditioning his wings to take his freedom flight.

Once the birds enter the aviary we no longer have personal contact with them, in an effort to insure the best possible chance for survival in the wild. When Happy was released I had no doubt that this remarkable little blue bird would make his place in this world. But Happy had a mind of his own and knew exactly what he wanted! Just before dusk, I do a final check of all aviaries and upon approaching the songbird aviary I saw Happy patiently waiting. I opened the door and he swooped inside, perched on his nightly branch and went to bed. The following morning, he quickly let me know he was ready to go outside. But that evening, again, he was waiting for me to open the door. This routine continued throughout the summer and well into fall, until the time came to close up the aviaries in preparation of winter. Happy made the choice to stay in for the winter. 

With the arrival of spring, Happy was ready to return to our original routine of his daytime freedom and nightly security. I think we were both quite content with this arrangement; until one night when Happy did not return. My heart sank.

Three days passed and no sign of Happy. I was convinced that something dreadful had happened to our little winged angel. As I made my nightly rounds on the third night since his disappearance, I heard his distinct little voice, looked up above the aviary and saw Happy. But he was not alone. Beside him hesitantly sat a lovely female blue bird. I opened the aviary door to offer him his nightly security. Happy looked at the door, then turned and flew off to the field where he landed and proudly perched atop the birdhouse where he would raise his first family (April,1999). 

               HAPPY IS STILL RAISING BEAUTIFUL BABIES!

                                     The Birdlady, 2008

  
 
 
  

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