The Dream of Emigration – Part 1
Or being brave, like a swallow.
If not now, when? This is a question we could frequently ask ourselves in life.
- Should I have a child? If not now, when?
- Is now a good time to go back to school? If not now, when?
- Should I…? If not now, when?
Sometimes it’s not the right time, that’s true. But often, we procrastinate because we don’t fully believe in it or don’t want to devote ourselves to the matter wholeheartedly. We don’t want to leave our cozy „nest.“ Speaking of nests, I think of Philipp, who spent two days under my care this summer.
Who is Philipp?
Philipp got his name because he was a little wriggler, clearly not a homebody. Philipp is a small house martin who one evening this summer sat on our terrace. So small, in fact, that it was immediately clear he must be a fledgling. Not being familiar with swallows, I thought his mother might still „pick him up“ or feed him on the ground. The next morning he seemed to be gone, at least the small shelter I’d provided—a small cardboard box with a „Zewa*“ curtain—was empty. I was happy, thinking he had returned to his family. But an hour later, I saw him sitting near our garden box. „Damn!“ I then read online that they would not be fed on the ground. So I caught some fresh flies and stored them temporarily in a glass of water until it was time to feed him. Philipp was fledged, but flying was not yet his forte. I collected the little guy and put him in a small cereal bowl with kitchen paper, as recommended on a bird protection website. After a few attempts, I managed to feed him, and little Philipp soon had his fill.
Leaving the Nest – Little Birds
I read a little and was amazed that these tiny birds make the long journey to Africa to winter there and return the following year. How could little Philipp manage if he is not trained by his parents? It seemed more than reasonable to return him to his „biological“ parents in some way. A „bird lady“ I called advised taking all the other swallows out of the nest, as parasites were often the reason they fled. But Philipp was parasite-free, so I didn’t want to disturb the nest. I suspected the heat had driven him out. I didn’t want to have their deaths on my conscience, so this form of „bird rescue“ was not an option for me.
The Swallow House – The Joy of Swallow
Nests Most homeowners don’t like swallows building nests on their homes. We had informed our landlord of their attempts a few years ago in case he wanted to do something. Still, they hadn’t managed to build an intact nest until this summer of 2022. In my imagination, I had already posted a small ad on „Bird-Immoscout“: „Subletting Swallow Nests: large penthouse, city apartments, and a garden-view apartment.“ We thought Philipp must have fluttered from the garden-view but who knows, his home could be elsewhere. Later, when the swallows had moved out and some nests had fallen, it was evident that dead chicks were inside. Had they died from the heat Philipp had fled? Perhaps.
Who Knows the Bird?
With my husband Matthias’s help, we built a so-called „nursemaid’s nest“ to place him back near his siblings and parents, hoping they would feed him there. We assumed Philipp was a garden-view resident, so we attached the nest near it. He sat there, flapping and chirping, clearly excited. Other swallows came by, but I couldn’t see if they were friendly. Suddenly, he fluttered from the edge of the nest and flew across the street, crashing in front of our neighbor’s garage. I picked up the little runaway again and reconsidered what to do. Further testimonials from swallow rescuers led us to believe the nursemaid’s nest might work. We placed him back in the nest and watched. Various swallow pairs seemed to check if the little guy belonged to them. Suddenly, Philipp fluttered and flew off with some swallows, and I lost sight of him in the sky. This little bird had such courage. In him was the urge for freedom and adventure, willing to take the risk, following his instinct. The other swallow children, less wriggly, stayed in their nest and probably died from the heat that was severe that week. Even if I don’t know whether Philipp made it to Africa, he at least tried and followed his natural instinct to leave the nest.
*Kitchen paper
