. . . . . to get a BIRD out of your house??
Well, I was so lucky, I found out this morning -bright and early at 5:45 am!
We have a little bird friend who has built her nest in my wreath on our front door. I have been loath to move it, as she has laid 5 eggs in it. She normally hears the car drive up, and skidaddles before we get to the front door, and she usually hears the door jiggle in the morning prior to Philip walking out to go to work.
Well, she must have been sleeping well this morning, as she didn't wake up until our door was wide open, and Philip was walking out. She flew into the house and landed on our stair railing.
Philip and I tried to shoo her out of the house towards the wide-open door, but to no avail. Philip had to finally just leave for work, and I was left to my own devices. I spent 45 minutes trying to call the bird, I placed bread crumbs on the front porch and the front foyer floor, I waved a fly swatter at her, not to hit her, but to poof some air at her to make her fly. . . .but she just flew between my ficus tree upstairs, the stair railing, and the ceiling fan. It didn't help that we have high ceilings in the living room and a loft area. . . she had too much room to fly around in.
Ok - "Where's the hidden camera? I feel like an idiot!"
Eventually, I called PetsMart thinking that they would have some tips in dealing with fly-away birds - they get loose in the store, don't they?
Here's the big scoop: Turn off all the lights in the house except a light where you want them to go - so I turned off all the lights, and left the porch light on with the door wide open. She eventually took flight again, and tried to land several places - but couldn't find footing. She finally went towards the door, and out of the house!!!!
This all happened before Damon woke up - I was kind of hoping that he would get a chance to see her - he's developed a "love" for our little bird on the front door. However, although he would have thought it "big fun" to shoo the bird back to her nest, I don't know that I would have ever gotten him ready for school! Too bad.
I'm looking forward to when her little eggs hatch - Damon has been able to see inside the nest and see the eggs - it's just a wonderful thing to be able to witness God's creation in the creatures outdoors - I just hope we don't have any little baby birds drop out of the nest once they hatch - Damon might very well be heart- broken.