Last night I left the public library after an enjoyable and
productive meeting, on my way to an after-meeting dinner. When I left the
building, I found my colleagues gathered in the parking lot, fretting over the
fate of a young gull that had fallen from its nest. Residents of nearby
apartments stopped to offer comments, and passers-by also contributed to the
conversation.
This is July on Cape Ann, where gulls are squawking
protectively over their nests and dive-bombing any human or other prospective
predator who might come near. The problem here, however, is that the fledgling,
even too young to be a fledgling, has fallen out of the protective nest. But
this fledgling is only one of several that we and others will encounter on
sidewalks, back yards, tops of cars, and parking lots.
We humans gathered and fretted and discussed, and this is
what we came up with. Do not touch the bird. (We already knew that.)
Unfortunately, a little girl didn't know this and a few days earlier picked one
up, put it in her purse, and took it home. The bird will die. A neighbor who
came out to offer advice pointed out that fledglings, and even younger ones,
will survive this danger of being ground-bound as long as the parents can feed
it and drive off predators. Considering the location, the brick walk by a
library, in a city with a leash law and bird-rescue volunteers, the young bird
could very well survive.
Reluctant, but with increasing confidence, we scattered to
our cars and headed out. On my way home after supper the stranded baby gull got
me thinking of the various birds I've encountered in India, and, of course, one
thought led to another, and I now have a burgeoning story about Anita Ray and a
fortune-telling parrot.
I also have a clearer conscience because I emailed a bird
rehabber about the gull, and if anything can be done, she will do it. Stories
and their inspiration came from all sorts of experiences. The key is to be
ready for them.
A long time ago something similar happened when my husband and I were leaving our local library. We found a bird with a broken wing in the parking lot. I waited there while he got a cardboard box from the library and gently placed the bird in it. Someone at the local animal shelter knew a person who worked with birds. So we left it there. Hopefully, the bird survived.
ReplyDeleteA long time ago something similar happened when my husband and I were leaving our local library. We found a bird with a broken wing in the parking lot. I waited there while he got a cardboard box from the library and gently placed the bird in it. Someone at the local animal shelter knew a person who worked with birds. So we left it there. Hopefully, the bird survived.
ReplyDeleteIt was interesting to me how many people stopped to try to help or make suggestions. Unfortunately, this is the season here when the little fluff balls are prone to falling out of nests. Thanks for commenting.
DeleteWhat struck me about this, Susan, was that although we live near the Gulf of Mexico and have been here for several years, we have never seen a seagull nest. Lots and lots of gulls--mostly laughing.
ReplyDeleteBut what a great idea this event triggered for your upcoming story. I bet it will be fun to write.
"The Laughing Gull." What a great title for a story! We see nests all over Gloucester, especially if you're on the second or third floor and can see rooftops. Thanks for commenting, Jan.
DeleteLove the idea of a fortune-telling parrot! Sounds like fun.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Allan. It's one of those lovely details I come across in India that I just have to get into a story.
ReplyDeleteThese wordings: “The problem here, however, is that the fledgling, even too young to be a fledgling, has fallen out of the protective nest. But this fledgling is only one of several that we and others will encounter on sidewalks, back yards, tops of cars, and parking lots.” makes me think of humans falling out of their groups/nest of sort. I think that we are all clans and tend to not want to stray from the pack, but with diversity rearing its vibes the world did stray but those who did not and stayed within their clans are thriving safely in familiar abode and leaving the strays in places like empty lots, vacant buildings, park benches and the likes. But surely this is not a metaphor for sea galls, birds and humans. Birds have been flaking forever on the planet and mankind's encroachment has not hindered of their spread because birds gather and not squander as men would have them do. They're to be reminders of early predecessors; those giant, mutant birds in the days of the dinosaurs and such.
ReplyDeleteIn Leominster, we have flocks of wild Canadian geese co-habitants in our yard with the occasional shoeing from a neighbor since they don't want the geese too close to their open balcony on the ground floor. Or it is indicative of something else since I am new to this town and unsure how long they have existed in the yard. So when I see neighbors shoeing the geese away, I tend to wander, how sincere are they, if this has been an ongoing plight in the yard or not?—Expressive of thoughts is all, in this New England area of the world