For the Birds 4-13

I finally understand what getting back to nature may really mean. I used to think it meant I had to live off the grid, grow my own food, let hair grow all over my body and not shower but once a week.


What I think it really means is everything we need to know we can learn just by observing nature and finding balance. I say this because of the things I have learned from my friends the birds.

I now understand why some people don’t want to ever help people who are struggling.

I started feeding the birds this winter…just to help them out and because I like seeing them. At first it was just the little ones…the Juncos and before long the Quail discovered the seed…I love them because they are cautious and shy and those little topknots on their heads are adorable. Soon along came the Mourning Doves who are so gentle looking and coo so softly and then the larger Band Tailed Pigeons made their appearance.

But I learned that by helping the little guy for too long attracts the larger more aggressive varieties. Maybe they are no less deserving, but they become assertive and expectant of the hand out. From watching this unfold I understand the mistakes that people make by going beyond a supplemental hand up to dependency and entitlement.

A few days ago when the male turkeys first made their appearance I was delighted by their strutting and show of feathered puffery. I was happy to have them here so I could get some good pictures of them.

Last night and today I learned the error of my ways. I noticed the males were outside but I went out with the seed anyway. I was curious if they would run off like the females do. WELL, they certainly did NOT. They actually came towards me. Forgetting everything I ever learned from having an aggressive-about-food horse I fed them anyway keeping one eye on them at all time.

So today they were back. Learning and agreeing with my husband that I will have to quit feeding them we decided to run them off.

Another thing about nature…where do you think cartoonists have gotten all that funny material over the years? I went out there with a broom in case one decided to charge me and the big bullies, making their funny clicks and chirps ran just out of reach of the broom into a bush and stopped there. Larry gave it a try and he just ended up running in bigger circles behind them…it was hysterical. Throwing rocks didn’t even really faze them much…we finally double teamed them until they ran up and over the hill.

So a bit later I am sitting in my chair by the window when I noticed movement and there are Ugly and Uglier looking up at me from below the window. The look in their eye was saying Hey Toots, get out here with the birdseed. Ha, I thought. So they strut on by…right onto the porch!!! Uglier jumps up onto the rail and reaches his big neck out towards the sliding glass door and waves his head around telling me something not so nice in Turkey language. I have no doubt that if the door had been opened the bold bird would have walked right into the house and helped himself to the sack of birdseed.

I went after the broom again and they kept out of reach again. Sadly I will have to quit feeding the birds for awhile until these big bullies move on. Lesson learned. As much as we want to help nature we don’t really help except in the moment and create unforeseen problems when we ignore the obvious for very long.

I could go on about survival of the strongest, fittest and the smartest, but I’ll leave that for another rant.

From this weeks lesson in nature’s school I have learned that we can help the smallest and the weakest of us for the short term, but if we go on too long we start attracting the bigger, stronger ones that will then try to take advantage. Now I am off to take a shower and shave….hahahaha!