the bird we call Peg

there is a one-legged blackbird hop, hop, hopping about the garden. she arrived a couple of weeks ago and it appears she has moved in. we have no idea what happened to her leg but she seems happy and alert and acts as the garden's busybody cheep, cheep, cheeping various alarm calls to other birds and sometimes scolding us when we interrupt her loafing. every morning one of us goes out to see if she is still around. we grow a little anxious when we can't find her until we hear here sharp scoldy cheeping. it is very distinct and i find it utterly charming that i can recognize her call. she hasn't warmed up to us completely but still, everyday we are happy to greet her lil beady eyed face. i wonder if i can get her to come with the coaxing of something delicious?

last friday morning, the witch-baby came rushing into the house with something suspiciously feathery between her teeth. i threw my hands up to my face and gasped "Peg!" mr. a-go-go chased the witch-baby into her room (she sleeps with the sister a-go-go) and managed to scare her into dropping the bird. it wasn't Peg but i tiny mad house finch that flapped like mad all flippity-flappity about the room. I dashed into the kitchen for a plastic tub with a lid and managed to catch it my heart beating almost as fast as the tiny bird's. it had lost quite a few tail feathers and managed to fly away to safety atop the fence in the garden. poor thing. the witch-baby then hid under the bed for the rest of the day and a good portion of the next. i can't be mad at her, she is after all, a cat and cats hunt so she did. when she was a kitten she used to bring me butterflies and grasshoppers, she never managed a bird before so i guess i am grateful for small favors.