Remembering 9/11 and Red Update

Posted on by

This was one of many U.S. flags at our favorite beach. Many of the homes fly them daily.

Remembering 9/11:

I was getting my kids ready for school. Our son was in third grade and our daughter in kindergarten. They were in their Catholic school uniforms of khaki shorts and a white polo for our son and a forest green plaid skirt and polo for our daughter. I was glancing at the TV in our bedroom, waiting for them to brush their teeth when I saw the first plane crash into a tower. I had no idea what was going on. I thought it was an accident.

Then the second tower was hit. I didn’t know if I should keep my kids home from school that day. I was scared to drop them off. But in the end I decided to try to keep the day “normal” as possible for them and not interrupt their routines.

My husband worked for Merrill Lynch in Palm Springs at the time. We had a close friend, who was his former boss, who worked in an office next door to the Twin Towers when it was bombed in 1993. My husband knew many people that he talked with daily who worked on Wall Street and in the Twin Towers. September 11 was a scary day while he tried to account for people he knew.

We soon learned a parish member from our church was aboard the plane from Boston.

I see a divide in my life before and after 9/11. Our world would never be the same. My heart goes out to everyone who lost family members on that tragic day or from the results of health issues caused by the terrorist attack.

Red Update:

Before we left for our beach vacation, I noticed a few changes in Red’s appearance. I wrote about the black spot on his head HERE.

We got back from vacation and Red was in the back yard singing to me. I was thrilled of course, but you can imagine my surprise when I saw Red looking like this:

It’s called molting. Red is losing his feathers and growing new ones. He needs a high protein diet so I’m feeding him his favorite peanuts and sunflower mix.

Another strange thing I noticed was Red hanging out with a juvenile bird. I used my zoom lens and saw that it was NOT one of his fledglings. It was a Bronzed Cowbird! Why was he feeding a species of bird that was not his?

I read that Cowbirds are “parasitic breeders” and they don’t build their own nests, but lay eggs in other birds’ nests including Cardinals. A brood parasite is an animal or bird that tricks a host parent into incubating and raising its young. The Cowbird lays it’s eggs in a Cardinal’s nest because they are similar in size and color.

Red’s juvenile Cowbird. Not only is Red a delight to listen to and see, he’s a generous adoptive dad. I remember an odd looking baby cardinal. At first Red and Mrs. had two babies, then a third one appeared that didn’t match the others.

What are your memories of September 11, 2001?

48 thoughts on “Remembering 9/11 and Red Update”

  1. So, Red mated with a different species? 🤔 He does look a bit rough! I was at a doctor’s office waiting to be seen when I saw the aircraft hit a tower on the waiting room TV. I’m still angry with how our government handled this. And, today those “people” have a foothold in our country.

    Reply ↓

    • Well, Red is still mated to Mrs. Some Cowbird laid eggs in their nest and the Cardinals were tricked into raising them. It’s funny, the Cardinal babies left and Red is stuck with the adopted bird. How awful to be in a waiting room watching 9/11. I agree with you about how they have taken a foothold in our country and it’s not a bright future ahead.

      Reply ↓

  2. Red certainly is molting!! My goodness he looks a bit worse for the wear so I hope his new plummage grows in fast 🙂 I have read that about cowbirds. I think there are other bird species that do the same and even other animal species.
    Not easy memories to think back on 9/11. I still remember the day especially vividly and then the weeks and years following. There is a lot of tribute now being paid to all the responders and others who worked after the attacks in rescues and recovery. Hundreds have died from the health impacts of being in that horrific environment day after day.

    Reply ↓

    • Yes, Red certainly looks rough. I’m glad I took so many photos of him when he was handsome!

      Yes, 9/11 is such a sad day in our history. The health impacts have been terrible for the first responders and other who were there.

      Reply ↓

  3. I was about your son’s age on 9/11 and remember the local news was on in the living room as we got ready for school and I couldn’t comprehend what I was seeing. At school, we had the bulky TV on wheels and just watched news coverage all day. My mom had a dear friend whose husband was on a business trip and perished that day.

    I’d never heard of a cowbird, but how fascinating that Red has an adoptive fledging. I wonder if they notice or question that the baby looks different, or if it’s just their nature to raise whatever hatches from “their” eggs.

    Reply ↓

    • I remember those TVs. That’s what they were like when I was a kid. It was hard to grasp what was happening. I was so frightened. We had a trip all paid for by Merrill to Cancun the next week and I refused to go. I was terrified.

      I think it’s instinct for the Cardinals to care for the fledglings. It’s interesting that the Cowbird is still hanging out with Red.

      Reply ↓

  4. Thank you for remembering and sharing this. I found myself tearing up today at PT as I was listening to people talk about stupid things in the waiting room. Yet live continues and for Vietnam Vets and others, many things are challenging, so I just teared up, let the tears come and then continued. I try not to wear my heart on my sleeve. My mom passed away that year on Mother’s day 2001, so she saw what happened on 9/11 and as a native New Yorker was deeply affected. My brother came for my mom’s funeral and we never discussed 9/11 and he lived in the City and worked in a hospital. I think he survived because he took a clinical distance and we were there for my mom. I never heard my brother’s stories and often wish one day he will share. The City of NY has changed so much in the years following. I don’t understand everything but I do think that 9/11 clean up and moving forward was an event that drove us together and showed unity. Today, we are again decisive and blaming one another. I hope we will not be attacked again. Thank you for listening.

    Reply ↓

  5. A very sad day indeed. My memories… disbelief and anger come to mind. I was stationed in Hawaii, so we spent days fortifying federal facilities and mentally preparing for possible deployment to fight whoever was responsible for this horrible act.

    I’m sorry to hear about Red. Hopefully, he’ll grow some nice feathers back.

    Reply ↓

  6. My memories are much the same as yours Elizabeth. I was numb as I prepared the kids for school. All of us in shock. It is will a full heart that I remember all the people who lost their lives. Hard to believe something like that could happen. Hugs, C

    Reply ↓

    • It was such a shocking day. My daughter told me today that they had recess the entire day and were given cookies. I never knew that before. I guess that’s how the teachers coped with the horrors of that day.

      Reply ↓

      • My daughter told me today that the teachers didn’t know what to do or say. They turned on the television and just watched it all unfold. I didn’t know that either. xoxo

      • My kids said the teachers took turns on recess duty and the rest of their day was watching TV, but did not allow the kids too watch. As a kindergartner, my daughter said it was one of her favorite days of elementary school. She couldn’t grasp what was happening except cookies and recess.

      • Definitely. We weren’t even directly impacted, but the magnitude of this event and the ripple effect stays with us regardless of how long it’s been. Who can comprehend what the victims have endured? No one, unless they also lived the horror. 💔

      • Exactly. I listened to one woman recount her horror in going down the stairwell with thousands of people and walking barefoot through glass, etc. So traumatic and she saw coworkers along the way who had died. We didn’t go through that, but so many did.

  9. Oh my goodness. Red has a big heart, doesn’t he? Thanks so much for the update about him. I had no idea about Cowbirds. You’re always teaching me something new! 💝😊💝

    Reply ↓

  11. I have very vivid memories of 9/11. Like you, my kids were little and there was a lot of explaining to do, which wasn’t easy. How do you explain pure hate for our country? And why do terrorists exist?

    Crazy about Red and the intruder bird. I love that he is so kind and caring, but what a user the cowbird is! HA!

    Reply ↓

Kind Comments Are Always Welcome!