I'm thinking of the old wives' tale about how pregnant women get the 'nesting instinct' just before giving birth. Speaking personally, I can attest to the instinct to make a nest for the little one. Whether or not this is a definable urge that should be written about in psychology books is another matter. My take is that it has nothing to do with inborn, chromosomal instinct, but rather, stems from the simple need to get organized before the baby is born. The female intuitively understands that her days to accomplish anything are numbered and, once the infant arrives, she can kiss accomplishments goodbye for awhile.
Why am I writing about this?
Once again, there is this little bird that has taken up housebuilding underneath our deck. I do not know if it is the same bird, from year to year, but I suspect it may be. This bird - I think it is a sparrow - returns to the same board every spring. I've always chuckled at how easily she is distracted from her task by human movement from the inside. The weight bench and free weights are right in front of the window that looks directly up at the area where she is building her nest and every movement of my body renews her paranoia about imminent danger. Today I sat perfectly still and watched her movements for almost fifteen minutes, fascinated by her energy, determination, and doggedness. (Can a bird be dogged?) During my fifteen minute observation, she must have flitted and fluttered through thirty-plus trips to and from somewhere, each time returning with a four to five inch blade of grass in her beak. After she would fly up to the rafter, I could see the movement of her head as she repeatedly thrust her beak into the nest-in-progress. Upon completion, she would fly off, only to return with yet another nest component and repeat the motions. Soon, I know she will sit still for as long as she can, keeping her body heat on that (or those) precious egg, only to fly away to capture a worm for her breakfast or fly away because she saw movement in the window below her perch.
I am in awe of her dedication to the task of building her nest. She understands that her body clock is ticking and that the egg, with her offspring within, will soon appear, requiring her almost constant presence.
I'm going out to ask her if this is instinct or simply the need for pre-birth organization. Surely she understands that once that egg is here she can kiss shopping good-bye. Doing her nails? Forgeddaboutit.
Ah, spring.
Ancora imparo
