Baby birds... and the stray cat.

The nest of baby barn swallows near our kitchen windows had four little baby birds in it...... the mama bird was (and still is) flying back and forth, back and forth.... countless times a day to feed those tiny birds whose wide-open beaks look bigger than their heads.

A couple of days ago, one of the little birds fell out of the nest. I found it on the porch, struggling to get up on its legs. The little thing looked at me and opened its beak wide, I guess expecting that I had some food for it. I was able to get it back into the nest-- the kitchen step-stool was just about the right height... so back in with the others it went.

Next day, that same little bird was down on the porch again. It had been out there for a good long while and by the time I saw it, the poor thing was barely alive. I looked at it more closely, and it wasn't as developed as the other three baby birds were. I'm guessing that the mama bird tossed that one out of the nest--- not once but twice. According to the bird books, the adult birds won't take care of babies who aren't keeping up with the rest of the group. I don't know just how the mama bird got the baby bird out of there, but I imagine if she kept moving it around with her beak, eventually it got to the edge of the nest and down it went. So now there are three baby barn swallows up there, all doing very well... and by the end of next week, they'll be out of the nest and flying around the porch with the dozens and dozens of others here.

The little stray cat was back this morning, and yesterday morning as well. Seven o'clock seems to be her breakfast time...... and I've been giving her a little dish of dry cat food and a bowl of water. She's getting friendly and playful..... I was able to pick her up and carry her almost to the house this morning. As soon as we got in the driveway, though, she was wriggling to get away. I'm guessing that she's tried to get near the house before, and Gatsby has chased her down the driveway.

I will keep feeding her when I see her...... it's too hot to just ignore her...... and who knows if anyone else around here will put food and water out for her. I don't think I'll try bringing her to the house again, though. Gatsby isn't going to like it..... he'll chase her away...... and (most important) I do not need another cat.

Repeat: I do not need another cat.