My Neighbor has this new fascination with birds. She set up all sorts of bird houses and has been a frequent visitor at the local bird store for the last year.

And in the last year, our house has been a convergance of pigeons, mostly. Apparently, she's aching for Goldfinches. Not the pigeons, and certainly not the Starlings.

She's been talking to the Bird Shop Lady about the Starlings, as they have hatched in her bird box - the one that should be attracting the Goldfinches. The Bird Shop Lady told her to get those little baby eggs out and, "You know, um, do SOMETHING with them!".

While out in my backyard with my son, she motions me over and wants ME to climb up her ladder and take out the egg. I will not. She wants me to flush it or do something with it for her, "unless you have a moral issue with it".

WELL , OF COURSE I DO!

As my husband pointed out, "Does she not know you?? Of everyone in the world I know, you are more altruistic on accident then she is on PURPOSE. Why would she try and involve you in this Joseph Mengele bullshit?".

And this is a good point. I am the one (living on a farm and ranch growing up) that tried desperately to save cattle from slaughter. I'm all about eating meat and I'm certainly not one picketing for PETA, but I just can't flush a baby bird egg away.

So, she was forced to pull the nest out on her own. And when she did, she disovered not one, but FIVE BABY EGGS. They are beautiful, tiny little things. She put them in a pan and they are housed in a tree not far from the house.

They will still die.
They will still die.
I know this.

My attitude would have been to let them hatch, enjoy the baby birdies, and once everyone had flown off, start over. Do all the protective measures the next go-round. Something about popsicle sticks and nail guns. I don't know, but letting them hatch would have been good.

All I know is that I'm not thinking about what's happening over there, and concentrating instead on how many insults we can hurl her way. If you have any to offer, I'd love to hear them ...

REALLY SAD EDIT: It's raining pretty good today. And the momma bird is flying around over there, freaking out. I'm disgusted, to say the least.