Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Nature Sucks.

Andy and I love to watch the Nature show on PBS on Sunday nights. They often show predators killing and eating their prey. I know it's natural behavior for survival, but it makes me cry and I don't like to look at it. I'm perfectly content knowing that this stuff happens. I don't need to watch it.

I went for a 5-mile walk this morning, which should have made me feel really happy, save this one thing.

I was just starting out down my road and I happened to notice four little baby bluejays that had apparently fallen out of their nest. Or maybe they got pushed out by a predator? All I know is that they weren't quite dead, and they were struggling, albeit gingerly. They were very little, with that sort of big-head appearance that baby birds have.

I stooped over them and fretted for a bit, and then steeled myself and told myself to just keep going, that this was what happened sometimes in nature, and there was likely very little I could do to help them. I just hoped they would die quickly.

Now the image of the little birds has haunted me all day.

7 comments:

pnlkotula said...

Aww Boo. That's a stinky way to start your day. Hope it got better...

Joy W. said...

That is a HORRIBLE way to start a day.
Hope it got better from there!

We had a nest in our window and a baby bird hatched and then got stuck between the windows. I tried putting a pencil up there for the bird to grab onto. Horrible watching him bang around, frantically trying to get out. Eric came home and just reached in and picked him up.
Don't know why I didn't think of that!

I'm with you. Hate watching animals hunt and kill each other. Unless they're mating, I don't wanna see it! :)

Princess Crabass said...

We had an episode with a baby robin this season. It fell out of the tree and Piper decided to play with it. It wasn't quite dead and I'm not brave enough to just snap its neck and put it out of its misery.

I never watch the Nature shows. I'm with you - I know it happens, but I don't want to see it.

In fact, I won't watch a movie if it has a dog in it that could possibly die. I was really interested in seeing I Am Legend, but I just can't do it. I saw My Dog Skip and thought I would have to be hospitalized. I even get a little nervous watching the animated 101 Dalmations. How queer is that?

Janine Serresseque said...

I guess the thing that makes me feel crappy is that I am reminded that there is a limit to how much I'm willing to do to help another living thing.

Joy W. said...

I totally understand how you feel, but you are a wonderful person.

We all pick and choose who and what gets our help. If we didn't we'd be constantly overwhelmed.

I would be struggling with this same thing, but remember, you've helped plenty of other living things. There was probably very little you could have done to turn this situation around for the babies.

Jacquie O. said...

Oh man! Did Debra and Joe tell you about the bird that hit their shed the night of her birthday gathering? It was so sad. We heard it hit and then the crying was just unbearable. Joe Inscoe and I talked to it...like that would work...but it's poor little neck was broken. We finally had to go inside just so we could get away from the crying.

We are pet people...and that makes our hearts huge! I don't know how vets do it!

Janine Serresseque said...

Jake, I don't know how vets do it either.
I'm glad to be a pet person. At my first stirring in the morning, I usually hear Gilda (my kitty of 10 years) give a little meow as she jumps onto my bed to snuggle me until I get up.