A bird in the . . .
. . . conservatory is worth seeing.
On Sunday evening a confused, new member of the garden avian community flew indoors. There are many plants on the windowsills and floor, enough to fool an inexperienced fledgling into thinking it’s found a rare jungle.
Herschel alerted Barry to the incomer, and he and Jellicoe were summarily hustled into the kitchen. As Barry searched for the elusive chick, wondering if his eyes had been playing tricks on him, Herschel suddenly signalled. Sure enough, a small bird was fluttering in one of the plant trays. It looked as if it was having a dip, though I suspect it was too tense to consider relaxing in a tepid bath, and was literally in a flap!
We made sure the external door was open and the internal door locked and left the little bird to its own devices, hoping it would find its way out without too much stress. Meanwhile, the cats were forbidden the freedom of the conservatory.
We discovered another, larger bird on the conservatory roof. A woodpigeon had met its end there. It looks just as if it is resting. In a sense, I suppose it is. It was an odd place for it to be, far from the gutter or the apex, with no place to perch.
We rarely find dead birds and it’s sad to see something that was once so vibrant now still and lifeless.
I have wondered why I never see dead birds who have died of old age when I am out and about. I guess there isn't a connection between the dead bird and conservatory intruder.
ReplyDeleteI can't see how there could be a connection.
DeleteI suppose dead birds and animals are scavenged by others thankful for a feast.
A few times over our many years we have had a hummingbird flying to our garage. We almost never leave the door up because of any animals getting inside. Hummingbirds are so tiny there's very little that can be done except leave the door up and wait it out. Sorry about the dead bird on the roof. It is sad.
ReplyDeleteImmature birds make mistakes, I suppose, and end up where they shouldn't.
DeleteI’ve never had a bird in the house although there was once one in the closed fireplace when I wasn’t home — thank goodness. There was once a bit. And a mouse in my pyjamas.
ReplyDeleteWe had a bat in the house once, and a bird in the unlit wood burner. A mouse in your pyjamas sounds most startling. Were you wearing them at the time?
DeleteI once had a starling in my living room, it had fallen down the chimney.
ReplyDeletePoor thing.
DeleteQuite the bird day at your house. Hopefully the little bird learned its lesson.
ReplyDeleteI hope so, otherwise it's easy pickings for the cats.
DeleteBirds fly high in panic, usually above the windows, so it's hard to get them safely away. I hope yours finds the exit.
ReplyDeleteThere's no sign of it now, so hopefully it found its way out through the door.
DeleteI’m one of those folk who get panicked by a bird flapping around indoors, thankfully it doesn’t happen often.
ReplyDeleteAlison in Devon x
It's difficult to know how to help a trapped bird, isn't it?
DeleteI hope the young bird has made a full recovery from its adventure and will avoid the conservatory in the future.
ReplyDeleteThe only times I sometimes see a dead pigeon (and we have a large population here) is when a bird of prey has caught one but then it drops from its claws, for instance when the bird of prey is being harrassed by crows and rather lets go of the weight of the sizable meal so that it can be more agile in avoiding the crows and move out of their reach.
That may have happened here. We have red kites flying over regularly, and the crows harry them, particularly when they have young.
DeletePoor little fledgeling. I hope it was OK after its fright. xx
ReplyDeleteI hope so, too. Such little lives, but valuable.
DeleteGlad it escaped by itself
ReplyDelete😃
ReplyDeleteI suppose a conservatory may seem a rather confusing mix of outdoors vs being mysteriously "trapped" for a young bird...
ReplyDeleteNot wise or old enough to be more wary, perhaps.
DeleteThat reminds me of my daughter's house. They get bats in the chimney which can't get out by themselves. And now and again a small bird which has to be rescued and released.
ReplyDeleteThey must be quite expert at freeing trapped wildlife.
ReplyDeleteGlad it was a happy ending with the bird flying off.
ReplyDeleteSo am I!
DeleteI’m happy that the fledgling apparently made its way out. I always feel sad when I am out walking and see a deceased bird. Doesn’t happen often I have a feeling that nature takes care of the remains very quickly
ReplyDeleteI think you're right, Alana. Nature tidies up.
DeleteIt's always distressing trying to help a trapped bird. They, of course, see us as predators rather than helpers and react accordingly. It's good that your fledgling (apparently) safely made its escape and is now back among its peers with an exciting story to tell!
ReplyDeleteA bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, but a bird in the conservatory is a worry!
DeleteI recall many years ago having a bat in the living room! Not to be recommended ... thankfully Eddie managed to open more windows and it went back outside.
ReplyDeleteI hope your little bird found its way safely back outside.
Shame about the bird on the roof though.
All the best Jan
I'm still wondering about the poor woodpigeon. I do like them, big, bumbling, handsome birds that they are, with their melodic cooing.
DeleteI've never had one come in the house but I've had plenty of birds fly into my windows. Most thanfully are only stunned
ReplyDeleteThey make such loud noise, don't they? It's amazing that they survive, but most do.
Deleteit has been a very long time since I've seen a dead bird.. however, just this past week, a nest fell from one of the high branches of our oak tree. The nest had 4 eggs which were all cracked open from the fall.. 😢
ReplyDeleteThat is sad.
DeleteI am always sad when I see baby birds without any feathers yet that have been blown out of nests during stormy winds. A tiny life over before it has even begun. I remember in my previous home I had a shadehouse in the driveway and a mother led her baby inside it and left him there to be safe while she looked for food. She came back hours later and he followed her out.
ReplyDeleteIt's surprising how parents feed their offspring when they've fallen from the nest., but your mother and baby were extraordinary.
DeleteAwww....hope the lil' bird found its way out again. My husband had a habit of leaving our garage doors open in the summer months and, more often than not, a bird found its way in. Most usually, thankfully, they would find their way back out eventually. Mor frequently it's birds flying into the windows (even though they aren't clean enough to be mistaken for "clear" LOL). So sorry about the pigeon. Any dead creature...makes my heart wince.
ReplyDeleteI used to put bird silhouette stickers on the big patio doors to deter birds. Not necessary now, for whatever reason, as we haven't had any crashes for a very long time.
DeleteFortunately we have never had a bird fly into our home. I often think that if we left the door open, a squirrel would wander in. I wouldn't put it past them :) I hope your fledgling has made it out okay.
ReplyDeleteSquirrels are very adventurous, but not daft enough to come within reach of our cats.
DeleteOne flew into our mosque the other day. We opened multiple windows and it still couldn't figure out how to get out. Not even sure how it got in. The children found it all very amusing.
ReplyDeleteHow funny. The children will be hoping for a bird every time now.
DeleteI'm glad you left everything so the bird could get out.
ReplyDeleteOnce or twice I see feathers on the ground, meaning something ate one of the birds that visit the garden. Sad, but part of nature.
Feathers are normally all that I see.
Delete