Oh I relate so much! I am a wildlife carer in rural Australia and have gone through the nerve wracking joyful trepidation of hand rearing baby wild birds. Such a privilege and a great reminder of just how well bird mama’s do at raising their young. We can only provide them with care, food, shelter whereas the bird mamas instill a confidence in their young and a silent knowledge of the wild that we just cannot offer. I would say 95% of my hand reared birds hang around my property to be support fed and just enjoy being in that transition phase. Not every wild bird knows how to be wild straight up. But every day they build confidence and finally they leave for longer and longer forays. Until one day they are just not there anymore. Such a bittersweet moment for me. Are they ok? Are they hungry? Do they need me? Always the same set of questions that rarely ever get answered. But sometimes to my joy they return - just to flutter in, hang about and then zoop off. But those moments - oh wow, my smile is HUGE! I had one rainbow lorikeet I had hand reared and finally got out into the wild (had a few hiccups and wasn’t a textbook release) but she found a mate and last spring came back to say hello with her very own baby in tow!!! I was a birdie grandma! Now that is gold✨
Thank you for your writing about the thing that I love so much. 🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶
You always fill my inbox with so much love and light Chloe, yet bring me back to the reality of life and this vastness of Earth and nature that we really know so little about and so often do not see because of our own innate fears. I love the cooling of the rabbit ears. I might try that on my cats.
Oh I relate so much! I am a wildlife carer in rural Australia and have gone through the nerve wracking joyful trepidation of hand rearing baby wild birds. Such a privilege and a great reminder of just how well bird mama’s do at raising their young. We can only provide them with care, food, shelter whereas the bird mamas instill a confidence in their young and a silent knowledge of the wild that we just cannot offer. I would say 95% of my hand reared birds hang around my property to be support fed and just enjoy being in that transition phase. Not every wild bird knows how to be wild straight up. But every day they build confidence and finally they leave for longer and longer forays. Until one day they are just not there anymore. Such a bittersweet moment for me. Are they ok? Are they hungry? Do they need me? Always the same set of questions that rarely ever get answered. But sometimes to my joy they return - just to flutter in, hang about and then zoop off. But those moments - oh wow, my smile is HUGE! I had one rainbow lorikeet I had hand reared and finally got out into the wild (had a few hiccups and wasn’t a textbook release) but she found a mate and last spring came back to say hello with her very own baby in tow!!! I was a birdie grandma! Now that is gold✨
Thank you for your writing about the thing that I love so much. 🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶
You always fill my inbox with so much love and light Chloe, yet bring me back to the reality of life and this vastness of Earth and nature that we really know so little about and so often do not see because of our own innate fears. I love the cooling of the rabbit ears. I might try that on my cats.
I love the story of Little Wing. Your work is difficult but rewarding. Thank you for sharing.
Always so special, my friend. Thank you.
So beautiful. Little wing is lovely and very brave
When the time is right, fly on Little Wing.