Bird in the House!!!

My bird story is NOT about these birds. These are the beautiful hummingbirds that visit my mother in law's feeders in the summer. I "share" the porch with them when I visit ~ they come and feed if we are relatively still and quiet. And the sky is large and they are free to fly ~ to come and go as they feel safe.

Yesterday, as I was grabbing my purse to leave for work, a bird flew down my stairs, in front of my face (you know, close enough that I could "feel it" fly by!) and into the living room. I shrieked. Turned to run out of the room and promptly fell into my kitchen (ouch.) Got up....well, not all the way up. I was kinda ducking for cover. Cause that would make a difference! I took a second, trying to think "what should I do?" and then I heard the flapping...so I grabbed my phone and left quickly through the kitchen door. I walked around to the back of the house and opened the sliding glass door, thinking this would be a large, obvious route of escape. At first, I cowered in the corner of the deck...not wanting to get in it's way if it wanted to exit. Heard a thud. It had flown into the wrong half of the sliding glass door. Shrieked again.

I worked up the {ahem} courage to cross in front of the open door, and proceeded to make some phone calls. Husband out of town. Both kids at work. Should have been on my way to work, but there was no way I was leaving until I SAW that bird leave my house! Called a friend, who was about half an hour away. He said he'd come chase the bird for me. So I stood, watched and waited.

It took about 40 minutes, but the {huge, scary} sparrow flew out of the door...without being chased! When my friend arrived, about 5 minutes later, I had him take the air conditioner out of my bedroom window, so I could securely close the window and be sure to get a good night's sleep. Poor sparrows lost a nest (they love to build them under our air conditioner)...but I did get a good night's sleep. When I posted this picture on face book I got some sympathy, some laughter and some tales of bats (which I remember from childhood and are NOT fun either!) Today I just have a bruised knee, and feel a tad foolish ~ I mean a sparrow, really!!?!

I learned two things. First of all, even if bird drama has made you late to work, look in the mirror and brush your hair before you leave for work. Otherwise you will shock yourself when you get to work and go to rinse your hands and look in the mirror.

Hard to tell from this picture,
but there were whisps of hair flying
in every direction!

And, lesson number two...don't look through scrapbooks trying to find "bird pages" to use to illustrate your bird story blog....cause it will just make you wish that you were in Oregon!!