Sunday, August 17, 2014

Bird's-Eye View At Semiahmoo Mall

THIS BABY bird did not fall far from its nest that according to onlookers is located inside the crevice of a yellow cement barrier at the parking lot of a local busy mall.

It is an odd place to call home in my view but birds, like humans, are adaptable.

Waiting for its mother to return with food, the bird camouflaged well against the ground as it picked at the paint and tar and hopped on the gasoline-fumed pavement around tires and beneath vehicles.

There was a nearby restaurant with outdoor tables on the other side of the barrier. Unnatural as the treeless setting was it made sense for a city bird living at the mall to depend on crumbs and handouts from patrons.

Not necessarily as nutritious as nature intended, its diet will result hopefully in a healthy chubby bird that soon tests its wings and soars to brighter destinations.

My pictures are not clear but it seemed as if the bird was dragging feathers along its way. Was this just the shedding of baby fluff or did something more serious occur?

I left the bird ... wondering about its fate. It seemed vulnerable yet completely unconcerned.

Although it can be difficult to read the inscrutable face of an animal, author D. H. Lawrence expresses what I have observed when he wrote, "I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself."


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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

13 comments:

  1. What a sweet find. I had no idea birds could nest in cracks in the wall.

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  2. That's a new one to me, though I look up at those large neon signs outside stores and see bird nests in the letters. Sweet little bird!

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  3. The process of choosing a suitable nesting place and constructing a durable home is a trial and error process. Some are better at it than others; I wonder if birds/animals learn from their experiences and do a little better each year. Some herons tried over and over to build their nests, only to have them fall from the trees. Funny how I had never thought of these things before. Who knows what the full story is of your beautiful little bird. Another thing that I've thought of lately is how much mystery there is for humans to unravel in understanding nature (barring tracking devices that I prefer not to see). Phew.. going on and on here :) The bottom line is that I will think of your little bird and hope it survives. Very interesting and true quote and the perfect addition to your post.

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  4. That's a surprising place to call home. Wonderful shots of the bird.

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  5. We will now all be wondering what will become of that little one.

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  6. Oh such a sweet young bird and great shots and post of him/her for OWT ~

    artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)

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  7. What a cute lil bird.. I am sure it is waiting for its momma to come back with more food.. I enjoyed the cute bird photos, thanks for sharing. Have a happy week!

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  8. Oh, what a sweet one indeed!! I do hope he/she survives their unusual part of the world!! Delightful captures! Thanks so much for sharing them with us today! Have a great week!!

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  9. At least it literally didn't have far to fall. All of the barn swallows from our nest fell to their deaths on the cabin deck in July. We aren't sure if they pushed each other out or if a squirrel did the dirty dead. - Margy

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  10. This looks like such a dangerous place for a little bird to grow up in. I hope it makes it!

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  11. Urban birds seem to have the most difficult time in life...but they always cheerily peck at crumbs, and chirp in branches...poor little things.

    Jen

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  12. I wonder if that really is true about a wild bird not feeling sorry for itself. A few years ago, when a baby bird in our front tree flew from its nest and landed in the neighbor's yard, it sure chirped a lot. It was probably calling for its parents, but it also sure sounded like "help, help. I wish I hadn't left the nest."
    Take 25 to Hollister

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  13. You have a good eye to spot such a little bird out in that unusual place. I’d think about the little one after leaving the place not knowing what to do. But D.H. Lawrence’s words is helpful to that emotion. His words made me think why we humans can’t live like wild animals or plants?

    Yoko

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