The Facts of Life

Last week the boys found a robin's nest containing two baby birds and two unhatched eggs. It was located in one of a row of little evergreen trees along the fence in our backyard. The older boys knew not to touch the nest, but Benjamin was just fascinated by it...and it was right at his level. We caught him with an egg one day, and reiterated to him that he was not to touch the nest, but apparently his "concern" for the birds got the best of him today. He went out to play and I went through my litany of do's and don'ts, but I forgot the bird nest. So when I checked on him a few minutes later, I was horrified to see him carrying the nest, minus the baby birds! I flew out the back door saying (in a loud, frenzied voice) to be careful and where were the birds when I noticed that the birds were on the grass...about to be squashed by Benjamin's foot! I guess my hollering got Benjamin's attention, because he froze where he was. I took the nest from him and got him to the house, all the while "reminding" him that he was not to touch the birds because the mommy bird wouldn't come back to feed them and they would die. He felt badly, and started to cry, but I had to leave him to get Sabastian who put on some gardening gloves, put the baby birds back in their nest, and placed the nest back in the tree. Meanwhile, Benjamin went to his room and locked himself in there, sobbing. When we finally found him (after calling for him without his answering and thinking he might have escaped out the front door yet again!) Sabastian picked the lock and I went in. My dear son was very upset, and explained that he just wanted to feed the babies some grass. I thanked him for caring for the birdies, but reiterated to him that God made the mommy bird to take care of the baby birds, and we were not supposed to touch them or the nest, or the mommy bird wouldn't do her job. When I finally calmed him down, we washed his hands and ate lunch. I checked out the window periodically to see if the female bird was around, and I think I saw her once, checking out the nest, but then she flew away. I finally went outside to look and found the birds had fallen out of the nest, so perhaps that's why the mother flew away. I don't think she's coming back, but we replaced the babies yet again and put the nest in a more secure location. My mother's heart is sad for the babies, but I really don't know that I can help them. I have a call in to a local wildlife rehabilitation center, but they probably won't get back to me in time since it's the weekend. Just another saga in the Fisher's backyard adventures...and it always happens when Dave's not around...go figure!