The Abandoned Nest?

Hope is the thing with feathers

by Emily Dickinson

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -

That perches in the soul -

And sings the tune without the words -

And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/42889/hope-is-the-thing-with-feathers-314

Yet another stormy day and night Saturday to Sunday, though on Sunday we woke up to sunshine.  The clocks went back Saturday night, which somehow we managed to remember, and Col left at 7:00 with his metal detectors and sandwiches.  

The fireworks  - which had been postponed from Saturday due to the storm - started up suddenly just after 8:00 Sunday evening. As usual, it sounded like WW3 had started just outside our window.  I went straight out to the balcony hoping that my being there might calm the Petulas down. But the nest was abandoned...   It is very sad what the animal creation have to go through. 

However come Monday morning one of the valiant Petulas was back on the nest.  And Captain B said that she must have returned straightaway as she was back there when he was out photographing the fireworks.  I can't see them succeeding though - the nest is so much in the wrong place - but I do hope for them.

Having said all that, there was a shout from Captain B who was out on the balcony, checking guests out of his Moth Hotel this morning.  I went out to find two chicks sitting in the nest.  Two!  So they have done it, against all the odds. Well, as long as the little ones can get safely aloft that is.

Will we have to help?  Will they let us?  And if so, how?

And what can we do to deter them from choosing our balcony again?  Though I suppose if they come and go without making too much noise, or mess, or annoying the neighbours, it wouldn't matter if they did.