Thursday, May 31, 2007

The kids have flown the coop - now they wanna drive


Last I posted about my little birdies -
they were all still in the nest.
Or i thought they were.
Remember their charlie's angels pose-
i thought one birdie was hiding.
From here on out we'll call him
Bosley.
He wasn't hiding at all.
Bosley had indeed flown the coop - or the nest as it were.
Monday early evening my husband called to me with an urgent voice.
I ran to his office which is at the front of the house. (Very close to the front door where the nest was built.) His office has large floor to almost ceiling windows. He called me because he saw Bosley - sitting on some bushes in front of the office windows. Here's a picture of Holly looking out the office window at Bosley
(i suspect she was thinking *#@!$%*&^!!! bird!)

here's a view from inside the house - see him there in the center?
so cute
I went outside to see what he looked like closer up. And found out something very interesting.
There were birds in the trees and atop the house looking down
He had a whole family out there
Keeping a watchful eye
so that little Bosley was safe (from us evil people i suspect)
it was a little like Hitchcock's The Birds (well i exaggerate a bit but still)



Upon seeing all these family members - i realized little Bosley was probably safe. The next morning Bosley was still on the bush outside the office. I saw adult birds bring him food. Sometime, mid-Tuesday, I checked the office and Bosley appeared to be gone. Later on my husband was out in the yard and said Bosley was definitely gone from the front of the house. He'd looked around and found a little bird, which looked an awful lot like little Bosley around the side of the house, sitting on an azalea bush. We figured that might be the last we'd see of him. The other 3 birdies were still in the nest but seemed to be making motions as if they'd be leaving too. Wednesday morning I took my daughter to school in the morning - when we left I was thinking about our birds and looked around for Bosley but he didnt seem to be in sight. Little did I know.
I came home and prepared to have some company - some girlfriends were coming over to make cards and chat. As they arrived I showed them our little nest. There seemed to be only 2 birdies visible at that point. By the time my friends left, no birds were in the nest.
I was a little sad. It seemed they'd decided to leave while i wasn't looking. Oh well i thought. I hope i get to see them around the yard.
Wednesday around 4:50 pm I went to my car - in the garage - to drive to my daughters bus stop. I opened the car door and put down my purse. I was about to pick up the mail and bring it with me (to read while i waited for the bus to arrive.) But I stopped dead.
There - on the dashboard of my van - was Bosley!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO I'M NOT KIDDING
Let me back up a bit. Tuesday nite - when we'd lost track of Bosley - we had left the garage door open til maybe 10 o'clock. I went and closed it and it didn't open again until we left around 6:15 am. I often leave the car windows open if the car is in the garage. When i drove back into the driveway I was thinking of the birds and swore i heard a squeak in the car but dismissed it - i did have the radio on and I was thinking about the birds.
Apparently Bosley was in the car for the drive to and from the busstop on Wednesday morning and all day until i opened the car door on Wednesday afternoon. The garage door was closed all day so he couldn't have gotten in then - I suspect he got in the car on Tuesday nite.
So there he was sitting on the dashboard.
It was 10 to 5 and i had about 10 minutes to figure out how to get him out of the car.
I talked to him and he talked back!
He also held his mouth open for food! That was hilarious - as if i had come to feed him. He did that over and over.
I didnt want to pick him up fearing it might either scare him to death or make him unwelcome in his little birdie community.
Finally i grabbed a small branch that was in our yard recycling. I thought i might encourage him to jump on it.
He flew closer to the car door.
(at that point i'd opened them all)
I prodded him again and he flew out the door onto the garage floor
One more gentle prod and he'd flown out of the garage and onto the front lawn.
He started calling to his family who were not immediately available.
A few more squeaks and some of his famille showed up.
I checked my watch and realized I had to fly!
We're keeping the garage doors closed from now on.
And we're not giving Bosley the keys to the car anytime soon.

3 comments:

Donna Layton said...

This whole bird thing has been pretty unbelievable, and this certainly takes it to new heights. What a shock to find that bird on your dashboard. I'm so glad he didn't fly at you....you both would have been freaked out. I'm sad to see the whole thing come to an end, but I'm glad you've told the whole amazing story. Can't wait for Will to see this. He's not gonna believe it!

Sue McGettigan said...

WOW!!! How amazing is that?? My baby wants to drive now too, but she is 15 after all ... and not yet ready to leave the nest.

Will said...

"Bosley, it's time to fly." "Mom..I'm not ready to go! I don't care if I did crack open first, just a little longer?" "You know the rules...we can't keep shoving food down your throat you are a big bird, now, off you go." "FINE...I see how your are! You don't really love me. I'll fly alright, I'll fly to those humans that won't stop taking our pictures, they will love me...Ah, this room with the huge vanishing door is good, WOW! look at this huge cage! Oh, good one of the shiny walls have vanished they must have known I would be coming. Love the new digs, this round thing is kind of cool, like a branch or something.I can tell I'm goign to be right at home."

LATER:

"The human is coming. Why isn't she talking back to me? I keep opening my mouth, but she's not saying anything. She doesn't have her camera, or a smile on her face. Why is she crouching down and walking so funny?--Hey stop poking me! It's me, Bosley! I'm from the nest on the porch--Hey! Hey! I thought you loved me ow...ok, ok, I'll go stop poking me! (as Bosley flys away he turns back for one last jab) Just you wait, crazy camera lady, just wait for the next sunny day and that shiny clean bird cage is MINE!"