Outdoors -- a bird's tale

The first broods of birds are out of the nest and learning to fly.

You can tell which ones they are. They look stiff.

They haven't learned to use their tails to maneuver yet, so they mostly fly in straight lines.

They haven't got this landing thing figured out either. They hover a lot, uncertain of whether they'll fall off that fence.

Reminds me of an old joke that ends "and boy are my arms tired."

When they do land, it's on a branch hanging way out there. They haven't learned to fly into a bush and brake hard right outside so that they perch instead of crashing into the branches.

But there are squadrons of sparrow and blackbird and starling families doing their best to give the kids plenty of practice.

Because they want this kid out on his or her own so that they can move on to laying and raising the next brood.

© Patricia Jo Heil, 2013-2018 All Rights  Reserved