Tuesday, July 22, 2008

You know I'm gonna take pictures!



I was just sitting down with my coffee this morning when I hear a giant bang against the glass slider. We've had birds fly into the glass before. I even have a picture of one of my windows with the perfect silhouette of a bird. So I didn't think much about it when I went to investigate. Normally they just get up and fly away. But, this bird had been flying like it didn't realise a building existed at all.

So.. I look down - and he is laying there. I think "ah man.. I've only had two sips of coffee - I don't want to deal with this yet"! Because of his shattered state I'm sure he has broken his neck. But he is still breathing and blinking. I'm sure he will expire at any moment. So I start asking Mr S. if he is going to get rid of his body. Cause that's men's work. Of course.

After about 5 minutes it becomes clear that he is just going to malinger on. Forcing me to have to consider putting it out of its misery, or let it die a slow painful death.

In general I'm not a big fan of messing with nature. I believe in evolution, and that if you keep coddling animals - what happens when humans can't take care of them anymore? That's right! The species collapses.

Since he isn't dead yet... I might as well move him out of the sun. Right? I go back to check on him every 15 minutes or so. And the little bastard hasn't died yet. This goes on for about a half an hour. So I decide to find a stick and roll him over. He is kind of able to keep rested on his legs. While he isn't moving his neck, it doesn't look broken to me. Or else he would have just fallen right over. Right?



I go back out every 15 minutes to check on him. The sun is starting to shine on him again. So I just pick him up and move him to the shade. Screw the stick.

The next time I check on him, he's finally moving his head a little. And the next time he's up on his feet and looking kind of okay. Okay.. so maybe he isn't going to die yet. But it looks like his wing is broken. So I've saved him from baking in the sun, but he's just going to starve to death. He runs to a safe place in the yard, and I debate my evolution stance. What am I gonna do? Take this bird to the vet. Ridiculous. My actual pets are already robbing me blind with vet bills. Besides.. smart birds would learn not to fly into glass. But that's just me.

An hour later I go to check on him and he is gone. Either he got his act together - something ate him, or he found another place to die. Even though I looked for his body everywhere. I mean, he was well enough to run from me the last time I saw him.

It's a good thing I didn't club him to put him out of his misery. I choose to think he snapped out of it and flew to safety.

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