Praying for an Easter Egg Miracle in My Front Yard

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My wife was talking last night about the Easter decoration we might put on our front door for the rest of this week — especially on Sunday. In light of all the (in-person) worship cancellations the world is anticipating (including at our own blessed church), she’s wanting to do something simple-but-grand.

We have both done some praying that God will give us some awesome inspiration about that. And, it suddenly occurs to me, we may already have our best Easter decoration ever sitting in the Sago Palm out front.

I wrote about this deal last week, and I wasn’t overly surprised when the story didn’t actually “go viral.” Ha. But, if you hear me out, maybe you’ll agree I’m not all that crazy in thinking there’s still a chance. I’m still holding to faith. I know, if it’s in His will, God can turn this little ole’ story brewing 20 feet from our front door into just the kind of thing that’ll have us all cheering.

I discovered a nest of mockingbird eggs on March 24, and my guess on the probable hatch date came and went two days ago.

Today, I have a duty to report that I’ve not seen Mama Mockingbird back at the nest since about March 28 (after I, and several others — including a cat and dozens of cars — had inadvertently frightened her away many times).

Before I started lopping, this nest was very securely tucked away in the branches. See “before” picture here.

I’m starting to wonder if she’s flown the coop entirely. And, who could blame her? My trimming job left her nest incredibly exposed.

Though you can’t see them in the picture, there are still two eggs in the nest. But, we’re now a couple of days past the maximum of a typical incubation period. And, far as I can tell, Mama hasn’t had more than about an hour of sittin’ time all total with the eggs since I’ve been on the story.

I’ve still got a lot of mockingbird website reading I can do, but I’m pretty sure the typical egg can’t last indefinitely without a mama warming it up. In fact, one expert (writing about birds in general) on Quora.com says “Once ‘sitting’ or incubation has started it can’t really be stopped, if the temperature of that egg drops below 26 degrees for much more than an hour or two that egg will almost certainly not hatch.”

We haven’t hit anywhere near 26 degrees (at least not 26 Fahrenheit) lately, but a late cold front did make things pretty chilly for a night or two last week.

And I’m not sure if lizards like mockingbird eggs, but there sure were several of them checking out the nest a couple of days ago (before I chased them off).

So, as I said before, these eggs are clearly in trouble — even a newbie bird guy like me can see that.

But… Easter is coming Sunday.

A lot people thought Jesus was in trouble, too. Praise the Lord, He Rose!

If we end up with a couple of Genuine Easter Eggs bringing forth baby mockingbirds on Sunday, I’ll be sure to snap some Easter pictures.

Won’t that be something? It’ll be our best Easter decoration ever, I’ll say.

And, Glory Halleluiah, that will be the viral post!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” — 1 Peter 1:3