An (almost) Empty Nest

Twenty eight days ago, I came home to an eggshell.  For the past week or more, I've been expecting to come home and find that "my" little dove has flown away.  He's been covered with feathers and seemingly fully grown for at least a week, but has yet to fly away.

This was the first time I spotted him off the nest!

Let me explain a bit about his "home."  I thought at first that his parents had chosen a wonderful spot to raise their little one.  Of course, I'm a little partial and definitely thankful that they chose this spot, but no matter what, practically no predator could get to the nest and it is protected from the weather.  But now, as I've watched the little one try to fly, I realize, perhaps, it was not the best place to raise a baby dove.  I have a balcony about eight feet across, but only about a foot wide, so very little room for someone to fly up from.  Then, there is a ledge, about a foot off the ground that is not quite a foot wide, and on which I have placed boxes of flowers.  Then, there is a fence about two feet high.  So, the little guy actually needs to fly to the ledge, then to the top of the flower boxes, then up to the top of the fence, and then he has to manage the "down" bit.

I spent much of my day on Saturday sitting in the den working on projects for school as I watched him flap his wings vigorously.  I'm sure, like all little kids who try to fly, he was hoping that just some flapping and perhaps a dash of pixie dust would lift him off the ground.  His parents would come down and sit on the ledge, cooing encouragements to him while he sat on the deck crying, pleading for their help.

Late in the day, somehow, he made it to the ledge.  I just knew I was going to get to watch him fly from there, but there, on about a one foot square area, I believe he stayed for about 48 hours, not wanting to go back down to the deck as getting to where he was had been quite the feat, and not quite sure how to make it any higher.

When I got home this evening, walking in, I passed the windows in the spare room (windows not connected to the deck) and saw two white heads.  I shrieked with joy as I ran to the balcony.  He was not on the little one by one foot square plot he had been for the past two days!  And his nest was still empty!  But.... he was just on the ledge on the other end of the balcony.  How he got there, I'm not quite certain.  He had to do a little flying to get around the flower boxes, but I still don't think he has gone outside of the railing.

In all honesty, I am not quite ready to see him go, as checking on him each evening is a highlight.  Living on my own for the past four years, I've always had a cat run to greet me when I come home in the evenings.  Of course, me running to the window to check on a bird is not quite the same, but it has been a small comfort that I've thoroughly enjoyed.

Stretching your wings is scary, and leaving the comforts of home is certainly difficult.  If only he knew the wonders he would find after braving that first daring flight.