Mr Chaffinch © GettyImage
Yesterday morning when I was sitting at my desk working quietly away I heard a loud bang on one of the front room
windows. Hearing nothing more I continued with what I was doing.
About ten minutes later her Ladyship dragged me out to go on a fuel run and as I was walking to the car she said
“What is that behind you on the path ?”
I turned and lying beneath a window was the crumpled form of a small bird that looked quite dead to me.
My first thought was to scoop it up and throw it into a hedge, but not wanting to waste time in getting a shovel, I stooped down and picked him up in my hands. It was then I noticed that the bird was warm on it’s right hand side and quietly said,
“ You poor little sod.”
The small bird moved feebly in my hand and I placed him gently on the lawn and got into the car.
After about twenty minutes we were home again and unloaded the car of it’s peat briquettes.
I stepped outside to see if the bird had flown off, but no it was still there.
I spoke to the bird and he turned his head, opened an eye and looked at me.
Once again I picked him up and held him in both of my warm hands for a few minutes talking away to Mr Chaffinch
and believing that he understood me. I told him that it was was time to take flight and immediately, as I opened my palms, he took off, flew high into the air and disappeared from sight.
Next time that I see a bird lying still on the ground I will check for life before disposing.
You gave him the encouragement he needed.
ReplyDeleteI am still amazed by the way that he seemed to know what I was saying, I mean you know when they cheep I don't know what they are saying do you ?
DeleteI always wished I knew.
DeleteHi Gwen, one would have to be a Dr. Doolittle !!
DeleteNice outcome, though I'm surprised a cat hadn't found him in the time you were away. Obviously with you being a Heron you'd understand birdie language. :^)
ReplyDeleteHa'h our one remaining cat rarely goes outside and our dog ensures that no felines ever stray across our boundaries.
DeleteAh' but the Heroneeze is very different and it is like comparing Mandarin to English :)
A deed well done Mel, something to warm the heart eh?
ReplyDeleteThanks John, I have some understanding now of what it might be like to be
DeleteSt Francis of Assisi - well a pagan version :)
So glad he survived. My husband had been searching for a small lizard he knew had gotten into the house,but couldn't find. Unfortunately the cat did find it, but my husband rescued it, has him warming up in the garage and will let it go tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteThat's the trouble with cats. So glad that Mac went to the rescue.
DeleteMy sister once picked up a woodpecker who crashed into a window. She held him for close to an hour, then put him in a small tree. Thinking better (we had an outdoor cat at the time), she went back an hour later and put him to a higher tree. Another hour and he was gone. He never evinced fright, he simply was thoroughly concussed. He was fortunate; we had a beautiful cardinal break his neck one spring, in a territorial fight with the cardinal he saw in the window.
ReplyDeleteBirds do have their own set to's from time to time
Deletebirds fly into our home windows often... they knock themselves silly... sadly yes sometimes they die.. but often they will recover... I can only think because our home is stone exterior all over that they think the windows are entrances maybe to a cave? They hit them full force and it does make quite a sound.
ReplyDeleteNot sure whether this works but I read that if you put bird silhouettes on the window the real birds will keep away.
DeleteNice to read of a happy ending, well done sir
ReplyDeleteThank you Doc.
DeleteI am always given the job of catching bats or birds flying around the house or farm buildings and I am the grave digger for dead rats and birds... Well done Heron.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you are not killing the birds ?
DeleteWe get birds hitting our kitchen window Heron. I always go out and look but usually they have flown as the hit has not been hard enough to stun them. If they are lying on the path I try warming them in my hands and usually they come round quite quickly and fly off - probably with a bit of a headache I would guess. I think a lot depends upon the angle at which they hit the glass.
ReplyDeleteThank you Pat I am sure that you are right about the impact angle. Come to think it, I have never found a dead bird near a window.
DeleteYou know that I am terrified of birds, but this is still a lovely story.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much Nols and here was I thinking that you were a country woman :) !
DeleteSo many times when the birde hit my windows they die.
ReplyDeleteBecause of all my tall big windows with the sky reflecting in them they hit straight on.
It is so sad.
Your little bird was very lucky.
cheers, parsnip
Need devise something that will stop them from flying into the windows.
DeleteThe little birds have an important function within the ecology you know ?
Thank you for your comment.
I am experimenting with small mirrors that will reflect the light.
DeleteI hope.
I sure hope that it works Parsnip.
DeleteWell done Mel. I always stop and pick up injured birds, hold them in my hands or arms (if they are big like Herring gulls or Wood pigeons) and talk to them for a while, they do often revive if it's an impact shock rather than cats, traffic or cars.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment and sharing your caring ways Suzie :)
DeleteA lovely story, Mel. I'm so glad the little bird was able to fly away. It could easily have died from cold and shock. You gave it some warmth and courage, bless you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Val and you know it gave me a great lift too, especially after all of the nastiness that we have been reading about.
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