Daily Dose Blogger Bios
A Death in the Garden
Yesterday, as my garden minions were getting ready to build a gate to keep Dexter and Sadie from escaping into the wilds of our next door neighbor's backyard, they saw this sweet little yellow-breasted robin, dead as a tiny doornail.
What image could be sadder than this? A tiny beautiful thing, a flying jewel, lying on the gray cement - still; lifeless. I immediately wondered about evil portents; after-all, the little robin looked perfect - no bites from a cat or other varmint, no broken neck from flying into a window, nothing gross ... just a peaceful little birdy, dead. I tried to think like a CSI, but other than taking pictures, I have no clue as to how to collect evidence - so I went to trusty Google and typed in " DEAD ROBIN". I had to wade through alot of links about Marvel Comics and Batman, but then I hit pay dirt - the Drunken Bird Theory/Drunken Bird Theory Debunked. It seems that the abominable freeze of 2007 keeps taking lives! You see, when there has been a freeze and a thaw, the berries still left on shrubs will tend to ferment. The longer they stay there, the more alcoholic they become. Little Robins, starlings, and other small birds will then eat these berries, and die from alcohol intoxication! I think that must have happened to our little yellow chested friend.
I decided to give him a decent burial - I folded him in a canna leaf and put a sprig of lemon scented geranium in there... decomposition is stinky. I said a little prayer to ward off any lingering possibility of evil portents, and hoped that in the final moments of his life, the little robin was enjoying his buzz.
Birdie looks so intact and unspoiled. I'd like to think he just keeled over while walking, as opposed to falling from the sky. Maybe he's up in birdie heaven now.
He/she sure doesn't look as though he/she fell from a great height ... maybe the bird was just enjoying the zippy feeling from the fermented berries, sitting on the edge of one of my containers, and then ... death comes a'calling. I'd imagine the bird version of death is a big crow in a hooded cape with a mini-scythe. ...and birdie heaven - full of white finches, I'd imagine, and morning doves. Wouldn't you think?
yes, and birdie heaven would have beautiful blue skies, endless bird baths and lots of yummy worms.
And no fermented berries!
Ugh. Consider this a complaint.
Call me prudish, but accustomed as I am to the eye candy of your garden's tropical wonders, dead creatures are not what I want to see here. (I have deadbirdiephobia, but luckily for me my neighbor is used to policing up the remains of his cat's extranutritional achievements.)
Very interesting notes, though, about the fermenting of frozen fruit being deadly to birds. Makes total sense - and I'd rather blame that than West Nile Virus.
(Yes, my gracious neighbor also took care of any dead crows in my yard killed by WNV...)
The poor birdie looks so beautiful...it's almost like art.
Complaint noted, Susa! I totally understand where you're coming from, but as you know, in a garden you take the bad with the good and the sadness with the joy ... and having this beautiful bird in it's state of 'not living' was really moving to me. I'd never had that happen before! I want to show it all - and while it thrills me that you find the blog pleasing to the eye (thrills me beyond words, actually!), I also want to explore beyond that - like the strange beauty of the Netted Stinkhorn mushroom (remember that one?), or the harsh, sad reality of a lovely dead bird. But I know I dance on the lip of the volcano when I post things like this, Susa!
Welcome Epmanda! ... I agree - the bird was so perfect it really looked like a toy or a doll of a bird; a representation of the real thing rather than the thing itself. I guess that is what death does, changes us from "being" into a "representation of being".
- look out! I'm waxing philosophical...
Getting alittle too deep there germi! Love the blog...catherine gave you a shout out in her blog all about you!
*What could be sadder?* Why, finding poor Mr. Dead Robin in bed with you in the morning, as I have on a couple of occasions courtesy of my wonderful cats. Except, it was Mr. Dead Rat and Mr. Dead Sparrow in my case.
I just spotted some dead wildlife in my garden. I was digging around in the front yard when I saw what I think is a dead baby bird. Featherless. It kinda looks like a teeny weeny frog, but I don't think we have those here in Eagle Rock, at least not on my block. I feel bad for it. Ewe...
Isn't that traumatic? A fallen baby bird is one of those bad things that happens in a garden, usually in mid to late spring ... I always fear that 'evil portent' thing, but actually, it is part of the natural scheme of things. Sometimes nature is brutal. And birds can be really impatient parents. If there is the tiniest inkling to the mama bird that she has a weak or sickly bird-chick, she'll push it out of the nest. Can you imagine if humans did that?! Please!
I'm amazed that you saw one here in Eagle Rock, Chanchow, because we have so many outdoor cats in the neighborhood. All the de-nested baby birds probably end up on pillows as morning gifts to loving cat owners (right, Julesschroom?)
Girl you have me laughing out loud! I know the bird is sad. But really the google of DEAD ROBIN, priceless I can't stop laughing. thanks for the little lift today!
I love that I lifted you today! My lifting of you, Purplegirl, lifted me -
keep visiting!
you are all sooo cool w/ your dead/anti-dead bird thing.... at least it wasn't served up by the cat... disemboweled & all..... sorry gross for a first post...
but nature can be cruel!!!
have to say... hope it was the drunken berries... what a way to go (again... better than the cat thing!!!)
btw.... have a great recipe for drunken cherries...for non driving (dare I say flying???) humans only!!!!.....
Yes, I must respond to Susa's repulsion over the bird... Gardening is about life and death. If you can't handle the natural sight of a bird that has met its untimely demise, then pack up those gardening gloves, sister!
Related to the post, I too had a similar experience in my garden. You can read about it here:
Gardengrll - I'd love the recipe for Drunken Cherries - it sounds like something to serve at one of my garden parties. We can eat it in honor of the dead robin. Maybe we can re-name it 'Drunken Bird Cherry Surprise' or 'Death by Cherries'. And I'll make sure to give a field sobriety test to my guests before they go home...
XylemPhloemCallie (lovely tag you've got) - The link doesn't work ... that happens here sometimes - can you type it out so i can copy/paste it into my browser? I want to read about your episode! I need kinship!
- and I do get Susa's phobia... but dead birds are part of the rollercoaster ride that is gardening!
(this dead bird post has gotten more comments than ANY other topic I've blogged about!)