Lessons from a little bird

The Curved-Billed Thrashers who share my yard, and nest in my Cholla are always fun to watch as they roam around the yard, pecking at the dirt looking for insects, or pieces of grass or debris to build their big nests with.  I've watched the babies come out and play with the Cactus Wren babies and watched them grow up and have babies of their own. Recently though, I was saddened to see a little Thrasher that was missing his tail feathers.  He seemed no worse for wear, as he hopped up the big prickly pear cactus, pad by pad until he was at the very top and could survey the yard.

I first noticed him about a month ago, and figured he would not last a day with all the wild cats in the neighborhood, to say nothing of the hawks that frequent my feeders.

But he is still around, and I see him almost every day, searching for bugs, or hanging out at the top of the Prickly Pear.  He can fly down, but has to hop up from pad to pad.

I hope his tail feathers grow back- giving him true flight again. But he sure hasn't let the lack  of them stop him.

He lives in a nest in this Cholla. He scrambles to the thorny protection underneath whenever I dare get too near to him. I've decided to not clean up this particular Cholla for awhile, but to leave him a safe place.  It is overgrown with fallen segments and weeds but it can wait a while longer.

A little bird and a big lesson about dealing with what life gives you and not letting it keep you down. Thanks little bird- long live!