2-7-2025 “But it’s still my turn”

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All day Friday, Jackie and Shadow’s shift changes were a smooth operation…that is, so long as the one returning to the nest could get the current ‘sitter’ up off the eggs. And their maneuvers to make that happen got more and more clever as the day progressed.

After Jackie finished her morning break, she returned to the nest with a stick…and immediately Shadow started loudly complaining that it was still his turn. Jackie tried sweet-talking him with little squeaks and soft nibbles on his beak. But he wasn’t buying it and continued announcing his dissatisfaction. She moved closer and closer until she was almost in the nest bowl with him. He finally gave up and moved off the eggs.

When Jackie had just finished her yoga stretches to loosen up from three hours of sitting, Shadow arrived with a huge bundle of fluff. She mumbled about it. Then she delayed getting up by having to help pull fluff into the nest bowl before finally letting him take over.

Jackie returned with more fluff but Shadow flatly refused to get up. He announced that he wasn’t finished with his job and started arranging fluff around himself. He wouldn’t stop working, so Jackie started ‘kneading’ the fluff…and she ‘kneaded’ her way right into the bowl until he had to move aside.

When he brought a little stick, she cried at the idea of getting up. Shadow waited patiently and focused on finding a place for his stick. Jackie kept whimpering even as she turned the eggs over to him…then continued talking about it from a distance as he rolled the eggs to nestle in on top of them.

And the clincher of the day, at dusk, when Shadow wouldn’t get up, Jackie purposely picked up a big stick and put it right on top of him. She looked quite pleased with her ‘turn-about is fair play’ maneuver. Shadow seemed shocked. He tried, but couldn’t pull the stick off his back. With much grumbling, he dragged himself out from under the stick and Jackie took over the eggs and the fluff arrangements.
What a lovely day of sharing nest duty!
Sandy

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