We have a gas grill in our back yard. Not the kind with propane tanks, the kind you plumb right into the gas line. Yes, I'm that lazy. I don't like swapping propane tanks or having to remember to buy charcoal briquettes. I like to flip a switch or push a button and grill.
This year, when it came time to clean out the grill and start cooking outside, we made a discovery. Usually spiders spin webs inside there over the winter time, this year a momma bird found it. When DH pulled the grills out to blow the insides out with his air compressor, he found a nest of six baby birds.
Then for the next two weeks, he carefully checked the nest each day until one day he opened the lid and all six birds flew away. He figured at that point, he could reclaim the grill. Tossed the bird's nest, used his air compressor and reassembled the grills.
The next day, I saw a momma bird at the bottom of the grill with straw in her beak climbing in. I told him that there was going to be a new nest of babies. We both laughed and swore off grilling.
Now, I tell you that story to tell you this one. I have a leak in my gas line in my yard. Major plumbing expense. The guys have been out digging up the gas lines and replacing them for three days now.
The plumber is going around checking all the devices and relighting all the pilot lights now. I wasn't really paying attention. He's puttering around a lot. Then I looked up and saw smoke billowing from my gas grill.
That's right. He lit the grill.
With the nest and baby birds inside.
I ran out on the porch and said, "the nest, the nest!"
He said, "I didn't see anything."
"Underneath the grill."
He reached down with his pliers and pulled the grills up and there is the nest in flames. I saw one set of tiny feet sticking up and just ran back in the house.
He swears there were only two birds in the nest and that he was able to take the whole nest and put it up in a tree... but that was a LOT of smoke. I'm thinking that he might have shoved the evidence away in a bush... but those chicks didn't make it.
What a way to start a day. Barbequing baby birds.
--Sandee Wagner
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3 comments:
I would have cried; I almost cried when the two nests in our tree were knocked out by the hail storm a few weeks ago, but I had no control over that whatsoever.
I did put the old nests back in the tree as high as I could. I know the birds wouldn't reuse the old nests, but they did scavenge from them to build new ones!
Aw, man. That's awful, Sandee. Poor babies.
We had babies in a hanging plant on the front porch once. A black snake climbed the rocks, trying to get to the babies. It worried me sick, even though I knew that without wings, that snake couldn't bet to them.
Susan,
You'd think I'd be over it. I don't even like birds. They're just rats with wings. And they crap on my patio furniture. But I don't want to see any baby animal harmed. spw
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