A closed window

Last night I left the door open to our shed. It is a well hidden door. I had 27 masks in varying stages of drying. The fan was on, and I thought an open door would circulate more air.

This morning, not early at all, I went out to check on my masks to see if I could turn off the fan. I noticed immediately an Easter basket had tipped over and the colorful plastic eggs scattered all over the entryway. I bent down to clean them up and registered a frantic noise over my left shoulder.

Looking up, there was a blue bird desperately beating against the closed window. It could see the trees outside but couldn't understand the closed window was not the way to reach safety.

I reached for a broom and thought I could shoo the bird to the wide open door. The pitiful creature just hopped over the broom and continued it's useless, exhausting wing-beating against the increasingly dirty pane.

To get to the bird, I had to clear out some corner junk. It tried to hide behind a box, still right next to the impossible pane. It was tired enough and single minded enough to allow me to trap it against the window and catch it. I could feel it's beating heart, racing against my fingers. I cradled it carefully, trying not to damage feathers and delicate bones and carried it 5 steps and out the door. I put it on the lid of the recycling can and it flew off to the safety of a neighbor's tree.

I hope it can recover from the exhaustion and shock of being handled and enjoy the spring/summer day today.

I on the other hand have realized the importance of closing doors -- well hidden from people, but perhaps a lovely, dangerous invitation to wild creatures.