Mama Bird Said, “Back Away”

Most days I don't pay much attention to the birdhouses in the yard anymore. They've been there long enough that they've just become part of the place. I know where they are, but I can walk right past one without really thinking about it.

One day I was outside doing something near one of them when I noticed a little bird making a lot more noise than usual. At first I didn't think much of it. She was sitting on a branch nearby, making this sharp little call over and over. I kept doing what I was doing, and every time I moved, she moved too. If I took a few steps one way, she'd hop to another branch where she could still see me.

After a while I started to get the feeling she wasn't just making noise. She was talking to me. I had been around that birdhouse plenty of times before, so I didn't understand what the big deal was. I stood there for another minute trying to figure out what had her so worked up.

Then she flew right behind me, close enough that I could hear her wings go by. Well, maybe not actually hear them, but you know what I mean. I turned around and there she was on another branch, still carrying on. That's when I figured it out. I was too close to the birdhouse.

She wasn't attacking me. She wasn't even really trying to scare me. She was just making it pretty clear that she wanted me somewhere else. So I backed up. A few minutes later she settled down, flew over to the birdhouse, and disappeared through the entrance hole like nothing had happened.

I stood there looking at it for a second. I built that birdhouse. I cut the cedar, put in the screws, hung it up and picked the spot where it would go. But once a bird moves in, I guess I don't get much say in the matter anymore.

For a little while each year, it's her house.

And apparently, I need to stay out of her yard.