Memories: The Birds

Before the tuba and French horn were added to the secondary pipe chamber above the organ console, that space was vacant. But a family of birds got into the church and took up residence there.

I don’t recall how the problem was resolved, but it must have been taken care of rather quickly because I remember only one Sunday when the birds persisted in making their presence known.

Mary Adelia McLeod was in the pulpit while one of the creatures flew close to her, and she, of course, made a joke about it and then, while keeping a watchful eye, continued with her sermon.

The birds were probably activated by sounds from the primary pipe chamber on the opposite side of the chancel, and they didn’t stop. They continued to swoop back and forth throughout the Eucharist.

The other character who was prominent in this story was Joy Humphries. She was a member of the St. Ambrose Choir, sitting on the Quarrier Street side - gospel side of the church to those of us who were raised with the traditions of the 1928 prayer book - including having the priest stand on the south side of the altar to read the epistle and then move to the opposite side to read the gospel).

And I remember hearing Joy shout, “I got it!” before standing up and walking out to get cleaned up. She had just been hit by droppings falling from one of the birds.