April 22, 2025
By Marcus Bellamy

I already know this is gonna sound bad. It feels bad. But I’m trying to be honest here.

I work night shifts—real long ones. I’m usually clocking in around midnight and not getting back home until the same time the next day. My schedule is all over the place, and lately, I’ve been dealing with some heavy stuff—heart issues, anxiety, the works. My doctor straight-up told me to reduce stress wherever I can, even the small stuff.

So when this bird decided to build a nest directly above my front door, it started off as just a weird inconvenience. I’ve had birds nest near the awning before, never bothered me. But this one? It wasn’t playing nice.

I couldn’t even see the nest unless I was standing right beneath it. And then I’d hear it—flapping wings, the metal of the awning rattling, and out it would come. Swooping. Fast. Right at my face. At first, I thought it was a one-off. But it kept happening. Every. Single. Day.

My guests started getting spooked too. One friend wouldn’t even come up to the door anymore. I started dreading walking into my own house, already exhausted and wired from work, heart pounding harder than it should’ve been. It was a mess.

So, yeah—I took the nest down. I waited until the bird wasn’t there, climbed up with gloves and a long pole, and knocked it down gently. No eggs, thank God. Just twigs and feathers. I felt terrible doing it, but I did it anyway.

And the truth is—I still feel bad. Like I kicked something out of its home. But I also feel relieved. I can walk into my house without flinching. And maybe that tiny piece of peace is what I needed right now.

I hope the bird found another spot. One where it doesn’t have to scare the hell out of a guy just trying to make it through the day.