A Mother's Sadness

For the last few weeks the boys have been watching two bird nests. On the light fixture right out our back patio door a mourning dove family has moved in, and a robin family set up home on the gutter on the house next door. The house next door is currently vacant, but it is in the midst of a rehab. This morning the men arrived to hang new siding, and sadly they removed the gutters in the process.

Will immediately took notice and asked, "But Mama, where will the robins live? They have no place to live."

Fortunately Will did not see that the nest had carelessly been tossed on the ground and the two blue eggs were shattered. When the rain came this afternoon the men left for the day, and Will went into action.

"Hey Mama! We need make a new nest for the robin. I need get some sticks."

As he wandered the soggy yard gathering sticks, forsythia branches, grass, and daffodil leaves, the mother robin was frantically searching for her home. She repeatedly flew to the spot which she once called home where she and her eggs were sheltered. She appeared so distressed. I have never thought of birds as creatures with real feelings. It was heart wrenching. I ached for her.

"Mama, I got some sticks and other stuff. Can you make a nest? I'll be right back. I need get a big ladder, so I can put the new nest up on our gutter."

I immediately got to work. At first I attempted to use the mourning dove nest as my model, but I was not even sure where to begin. Next, I attempted to braid daffodil leaves, interweave small sticks, and somehow include blades of grass. Again, I was unsuccessful. In the end, Will and Quinn created a nest by filling a styrofoam bowl with twigs and leaves. I placed the "nest" on our gutter near the spot where the robin nest once sat. Will was so proud.

"Good Job, Mama! We did it! Now the robin will have a place to live."

I am moved by Will's sensitivity toward the robins. I am sad for the robins' loss.