The pigeon on the balcony

Original fiction extract.

A pigeon with a small ring on its leg had stayed on our balcony all morning. From behind the glass I could read part of the number. Mum found the local bird club’s notice and asked whether I wanted to make the call. My first explanation was tentative. I stopped twice and asked whether I had rung the right place. The woman listened, then asked which way our balcony faced. Answering that plain question was easier than beginning. By the end of the call, I was describing the bird without rehearsing each sentence.

Use your own words to explain what the word “tentative” means in this extract.