poor bashed bird
about an hour ago i pulled into a grocery store parking lot and noticed, just before i nearly drove over him, a downed bird flapping on the pavement by the store entrance. parked quickly. as i left my car one of the bird's friends landed nearby to check on him. i backed away and waited, but his friend just took off after looking helplessly at his pard, so i went in closer. seeing that it wasn't a chick, i approached and gently scooped him into my hand to at least get him out of the traffic area. he didn't resist at all, which i thought odd, and he even tried to wrap his toes around my fingers for stability. except for my brief initial scoop i didn't restrain his wings, and he didn't protest-flap.he wasn't freaking out (a bad sign, i thought, considering), so i walked him toward some foliage, trying to find a safe place in the sun (e.g., away from automatic sprinklers) i could leave him if necessary. looked to me like his beak was slightly mashed in, so i was hoping he was just the usual stun victim from flying into misleading window glass. his tail feathers were raggedy and sparse, but it didn't look like recent damage. breathing: surprisingly unhurried, like his minimal movements.
lowered my hand into soft grass, but he didn't move. he seemed comfortable, in his stunned way, so i kept my hand still and talked softly to him while he closed his eyes and rested; he just sorta relaxed against my fingers, but obviously not dying or anything. figured he was ragged out from his struggle on the pavement and whatever'd put him there. every 10 seconds or so he'd open his eyes, a little unsettled. when a car at the nearest intersection honked, his unease increased temporarily. after a few minutes i moved my hand to the sidewalk and asked if he wanted to try to walk a bit. nope. slowly moved my hand back to the grass, but up in the air a couple of feet. suddenly the little guy shifted his landing gear, engaged propellers, and flew away straight and true — my most efficient bird rescue to date.
posted by saltypig @ 08:08
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