Dealing with the young of various species.

For a few days now our garden has been visited on a regular basis by a mother bird, possibly a thrush, and her fledgling who, despite being quite big enough to peck stuff out of the grass for itself, squawks imperiously from time to time for Momma to share whatever dainty morsel she has found. This morning the two were temporarily separated at opposite ends of the garden, possibly because my small grandson and I went our to play. The fledgling took off in haste from the garden wall, maybe frightened by the rampaging two and half year old child, and promptly flew head first into the small garden shed in next doors’ section of the garden. I really thought they had a built-in detector sytem for large objects like garden shed. The small bird seemed to be okay though. I don’t think it had built up enough speed to do any damage. It just sat up and squawked for Momma.

It always amazes and amuses me to see a bird almost as big as its mother still demanding to be fed, gaping maw wide open to be filled. You see the same sort of thing with almost fully grown lambs. One moment they are quietly munching away at the grass - you can hear the chomp chomp as you walk past if they are close to the edge of the field - and suddenly something spooks them and they rush, usually two of them at once, to attach themselves forcibly to Mother Sheep’s teats. I feel quite sorry for the Mother Sheep, as she is almost bowled over by the violence of the attachment.

I am quite relieved that my offspring don’t need to attach themselves to me with such violence. Mind you I have occasionally seen mothers still breastfeeding quite large children, 3 and 4 year olds, articulate enough to demand “booby juice” and agile enough to start to open Mummy’s top right there and then in public. Not that I am opposed to public breastfeeding but there is a bit of me that says there should be limits! 3 and 4 year olds can learn good manners!

While we were playing outside a neighbour arrived with a collection of toy cars she had found, or remembered she had, in her basement. Would the small boy like to play with them? Well, of course! We even got a polite thank you from the small boy. I refrained from saying that her de-cluttering would contribute to my cluttering! She also told me she had several children’s bikes in her basement, including two Barbie pink ones that had once been the property of her now 19 year old twin granddaughters. I also refrained from offering to take any bikes off her hands. But I am not churlish! The generosity is appreciated. 

 

Later, towards the end of the morning, the small boy and I headed for the park to play in the sandpit - where the sand was disappointingly dry, too dry to make satisfactory sand castles - and to experiment with rolling toy cars down the slide. Maybe he will be some kind of scientist or engineer when he grows up. 

The park was surrounded by groups of teenagers, probably 14 to 15 year olds, cooking food on camping-gas stoves or eating sandwiches. Their laden rucksacks were spread about: rolled up tents and sleeping mats and sleeping bags attached. It’s time for Duke of Edinburg Awards expeditions. This was clearly a practice expedition as there were lots of members of staff helping out and giving advice. One youngster was wailing to anyone who would listen that he seemed to have lost his sleeping bag. It must have dropped off his rucksack, he declared. What was he to do? I was reminded of the squawking fledglings? I hope they weren’t planning to sleep out tonight as well! 

I also thought back to going on fifty years ago when a friend and I were the accompanying teachers of such groups of youngsters. We didn’t need to remind our students not to rely on their mobile phones. No such things existed back in the day. 

It has to be said that they have had a lovely couple of days to practise their orienteering and survival skills -  no rain, plenty of sunshine but not too hot. When our daughter did it their expedition was on the day after heavy rain: nothing like tramping through wet fields and over slippery wooden stiles to test your skills!

Tomorrow promises to be sunny and considerably hotter than today. We have half a plan to go for a much anticipated and much postponed Diggle Chippy hike. I await confirmation from my brother-in-law. 

As I finish typing I can hear a commotion not far from the open back door. A blackbird and his young this time, helping themselves to a tub of water on the garden wall. I am just a little nervous when they get too close to the house, especially since some time last year when a blackbird came bouncing in through the open door. Fortunately he bounced out again before I had time to panic. It’s bad enough that bumble bees do it and have to be gently persuaded out of the doorway or out of the window. I really don’t need birds as well.

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!