Every morning, like most people, I have a simple routine to help wash the sleep from my eyes. I get up, make a pot of freshly brewed coffee and then open up my sliding glass doors, letting the warm ocean air wash in and work it's magic. Living on the second floor of a little apartment building, my balcony overlooks a luscious canopy of exotic treetops where a family of feathery inhabitants conduct their morning chorus. Brew, breeze and bird song - nature's remedial morning cocktail, my heavenly 'rise and shine' elixir.
So one morning a few weeks ago, after a bit of a mad panic trying to find a bag of coffee somewhere in the kitchen, I
found instead a box of old bird seed sitting in the back of a cupboard. Having checked the expiration date was still valid, I decided to sprinkle a handful on the balcony. I did this each morning for a week or two with no results. The seeds lay untouched and then blew away when the afternoon winds picked up.
But then one stormy morning, whilst I was contemplating tossing the box of old seeds in the bin, I spotted two beautiful doves darting about outside under under a palm. After an hour of nervous attempts to land, they eventually descended in and began to greedily peck and forage. Since then, they flock in each morning with a few sparrows in tow and perch patiently on the balustrade waiting for me to come out and feed them. What is quite extraordinary is that if I don't come out after several minutes of showing my face, one of the doves starts flying elaborately about the balcony and then swoops in and hovers and beats his wings impatiently against the window pane.
But then one stormy morning, whilst I was contemplating tossing the box of old seeds in the bin, I spotted two beautiful doves darting about outside under under a palm. After an hour of nervous attempts to land, they eventually descended in and began to greedily peck and forage. Since then, they flock in each morning with a few sparrows in tow and perch patiently on the balustrade waiting for me to come out and feed them. What is quite extraordinary is that if I don't come out after several minutes of showing my face, one of the doves starts flying elaborately about the balcony and then swoops in and hovers and beats his wings impatiently against the window pane.
So as usual, I awoke early and went to put the coffee on and open the doors. Sure enough the birds were pottering about on the balcony enjoying the morning sunshine. But this time, when I walked out, instead of a flock of feathers
frantically disappearing over the treetops, the entourage fluttered only a few feet up onto a
branch and watched me as I scattered the melange of
seeds. Their confidence was increasing! I looked up at them and smiled and waited to see if they would swoop back in with me still standing there - but as I rather expected, they refused. So I walked back inside and left them to it.
But, later on that evening, after I made a cup of tea and opened my book for an hour's respite - my end-of-day routine - they did something rather surprising. The balcony was quiet as it always is at that time - all the birds have presumably gone home to nest or perhaps to fly and frolick in the evening sun. But not tonight! Low and behold, I heard a loud fluttering of wings and then looked up to witness the two gray doves swoop in, land onto the balcony floor and walk right up to the entrance of my flat. I stopped what I was doing and quietly observed the bolder of the two as he gingerly took a step into my home. And then another and another until he was half way into the sitting room twitching his pale gray little head back and fourth, all the while darting his beady little eyes between the kitchen and me.
I am sure most people would have shooed him off at this point, but if truth be told, I was chuffed that he felt safe enough to enter and especially with me in the room. Something he would never have done a few weeks ago! Frankly I was rather proud of him. And who knows what would have happened next if my phone had not rung and sent the startled little bird soaring out through the window.
But, later on that evening, after I made a cup of tea and opened my book for an hour's respite - my end-of-day routine - they did something rather surprising. The balcony was quiet as it always is at that time - all the birds have presumably gone home to nest or perhaps to fly and frolick in the evening sun. But not tonight! Low and behold, I heard a loud fluttering of wings and then looked up to witness the two gray doves swoop in, land onto the balcony floor and walk right up to the entrance of my flat. I stopped what I was doing and quietly observed the bolder of the two as he gingerly took a step into my home. And then another and another until he was half way into the sitting room twitching his pale gray little head back and fourth, all the while darting his beady little eyes between the kitchen and me.
I am sure most people would have shooed him off at this point, but if truth be told, I was chuffed that he felt safe enough to enter and especially with me in the room. Something he would never have done a few weeks ago! Frankly I was rather proud of him. And who knows what would have happened next if my phone had not rung and sent the startled little bird soaring out through the window.
So, I am not sure what to expect next! But I rather anticipate a knock at my bedroom window one of these nights. After all, every creature has their own personal habitual routines and perhaps theirs includes a midnight snack. :-)
