There comes a time when ya gotta give up. We named him Fred.
He’s back. I posted about him in the Near Surrender To Fred blog. We are now in our second year of hosting Fred. Uninvited I might add.
We have had the annoyance of a cowbird seeing it’s reflection in our window. Fred demands mating with it and will not take no for an answer. He ignores his female counterpart at the feeder.
The screens came down to protect them from damage. Fred now has free access to perching on our window sill with frequent body slams trying to get at its reflection. One would think he would get the hint or knock himself silly.
Covering the window with aluminum foil, we thought the shiny surface would deter it him becoming a nuisance. No such luck. Swapping the aluminum foil with cardboard was considered, but talked ourselves out of it. To be effective, it should be placed outside the window where the spring rains would make a mess of it.
Either way, our vision outdoors was blocked. What really angers me is Fred is keeping the humming birds away. I have worked hard at drawing them, all to no avail now.
Anger is putting it nicely; I want to kill him. Wouldn’t you know, Jesus had something to say about a birds.
Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. (Matthew 10:29 NLT)
I bet that applies to cowbirds too, so murder is out of the question. That blasted bird is holding us captive. On our pleasant days we have been unable to open windows for the lack of screens.
Dave has done a little research and learned a further reason to hate Fred. Cowbirds lays eggs in other bird’s nest. If the home-owning bird returns home to find foreign eggs, it kicks them out. The next time it leaves the nest, that ornery cowbird kicks out the homeowners eggs. Talk about squatters taking over, I have nothing nice to say about him.
In the past, I have wished to learn the various bird calls to know who is ‘singing.’ I have learned the cowbird; he is still lurking about. Any ounce of Christianity I have is quickly evaporating.
Until I continued to read what Jesus has to say about people v birds.
So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows. (Matthew 10:31)
Clearly Fred knows enough scripture to not fear the evil intent of my heart. As a last resort, we have placed a wood owl wall-hanging Dave made in our window. Fred seems to be keeping his distance now. That was then, now he charges the owl, daring it to a duel.
Perhaps I should be content that the good Lord values me above a bird, regardless of my heart. It almost makes me want to surrender my anger to play nice to this creature God created. After all, it is people that God created to be his own image, not some birdbrain.
Last years words remain true, I still dislike him. Forgetting the aluminum foil of last year didn’t work, I once again suggested it to Dave. Not to mention that it would likewise keep the humming birds away as well.
As we talked the situation through, I mentioned if we had dark screens, Fred might not see himself. With that, Dave disappeared. I guessed our conversation was over.
Unbeknownst to me, Dave had some dark screen in his shop. He swapped out the screen with the dark one, and voila, Fred quit body slamming the window!
Problem solved. I hope.
One Day Wonders with JBK 