Birdlings
Any of you whom are massochistic enough to be regular readers of my ramblings may recall Cosa, the bald hatchling I tried (and failed) to save by nursing it with a syringe and warmer, etc...
Since then, I also found a bird (feathered) in my yard which a cat had batted around but not injured. I put it up in a tree and waited for it to calm out of it's shock and answer its family's calls. That took many hours. They really freeze up when in shock, and I'm sure that this blond giant handling it didn't help the shock in any immediate sense. It was flight ready (although likely not experienced) and I hope that, with the chance to recoup from cat-fear (and human-terror), it made a new, more successful, attempt at flight.
Since then, I have found dead hatchlings on my doorstep. This is odd, as that is out of the way of any trees and my cat is strictly indoors. Since I think it far beyond the intelligence of birds to be depositing dead/sick youths there for help, it must be the gifts of a cat.
I commented last night to Lisa about the tiny, bald, lifeless bodies of hatchlings on my doorstep. She said she thought my cat had an outdoor admirer.
Whatever the reason, I find it quite odd, since I have neither fed nor befreinded any outdoor feline (other than the one that died long ago). Then, this morning, there were two more dead hatchlings on my doorstep.
I've decided that, from now on, when my cat mews excitedly at the door at mad, frenzied chattering of upset birds, that I should go outside and try to frighten off whatever cat might be terrorizing our bird friends. It seems to be too great a number to write off to the cycle of nature.
Anyway... I thought it a bit out of the norm and decided to share it with you. Poor little hatchlings... If anyone has ever held a wild fluttering bird in their hands, they know the feeling of wanting to assist that which is terrified of you. I wish I could help the, no doubt, bereft mother of that nest. She will soon forget, no doubt, but even birds know protection of their own. She must have been quite a-flutter.
Anyway... that is my report for today.
Since then, I also found a bird (feathered) in my yard which a cat had batted around but not injured. I put it up in a tree and waited for it to calm out of it's shock and answer its family's calls. That took many hours. They really freeze up when in shock, and I'm sure that this blond giant handling it didn't help the shock in any immediate sense. It was flight ready (although likely not experienced) and I hope that, with the chance to recoup from cat-fear (and human-terror), it made a new, more successful, attempt at flight.
Since then, I have found dead hatchlings on my doorstep. This is odd, as that is out of the way of any trees and my cat is strictly indoors. Since I think it far beyond the intelligence of birds to be depositing dead/sick youths there for help, it must be the gifts of a cat.
I commented last night to Lisa about the tiny, bald, lifeless bodies of hatchlings on my doorstep. She said she thought my cat had an outdoor admirer.
Whatever the reason, I find it quite odd, since I have neither fed nor befreinded any outdoor feline (other than the one that died long ago). Then, this morning, there were two more dead hatchlings on my doorstep.
I've decided that, from now on, when my cat mews excitedly at the door at mad, frenzied chattering of upset birds, that I should go outside and try to frighten off whatever cat might be terrorizing our bird friends. It seems to be too great a number to write off to the cycle of nature.
Anyway... I thought it a bit out of the norm and decided to share it with you. Poor little hatchlings... If anyone has ever held a wild fluttering bird in their hands, they know the feeling of wanting to assist that which is terrified of you. I wish I could help the, no doubt, bereft mother of that nest. She will soon forget, no doubt, but even birds know protection of their own. She must have been quite a-flutter.
Anyway... that is my report for today.
posted by TwistedNoggin at 5:45 PM
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