Francis Berger
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The Hanging Bird

8/12/2021

3 Comments

 
I experienced something exceptionally peculiar this morning. It was about eight or so and I was out in the yard getting my tools ready for the day when I heard a fluttering sound behind me. I turned toward my neighbor's house, the back of which ends on my lot line, and saw a small sparrow furiously flapping its wings just below the eave.

Now, there is nothing strange about seeing a sparrow beneath my neighbor's eave. I've noticed sparrows nesting in that place ever since I moved into my own house. What was strange, however, was that sparrow was suspended in the air just below the last row of roofing tiles. It kept flapping its wings, but it didn't really go anywhere. It just stayed in one spot in the air. Even stranger, it remained suspended in the air even when it stopped moving. 

I drew closer to the bird and noticed it was hanging by its neck. It had somehow got itself tangled up in a long strand of grass from the nest and when the bird tried leaving the grass must have tightened around its neck like a noose, tethering the unfortunate creature and leaving it dangling under the eave like some kind of living Christmas ornament. 

The sparrow reacted to its predicament the way any animal would - with panic. It oscillated between hysterical escape attempts and short pauses during which it resembled a creature condemned to death by hanging. I grabbed my step ladder and quickly made my way up to the eave where I managed to get the bird into my hand with surprising ease. As I gently unwrapped the grass from the bird's neck, I noticed it was a young bird and I attempted to place it back in its nest under the eave. After three failed attempts, the sparrow took advantage of my loosened grip and flew away out of sight. 
3 Comments
S.K. Orr link
8/12/2021 22:39:57

I tend to believe that the bird was/is aware of your kindness to it, and that it will remember you. No creature is unimportant, and they are more intelligent and aware than we give them credit for being.

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Francis Berger
8/12/2021 22:51:52

@ S.K. - "they are more intelligent and aware than we give them credit for being."

Yes, I believe that's true.

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Doc
8/16/2021 06:26:54

I once found a hummingbird trapped in my garage. It beat itself to exhaustion against the window and was stunned.

I reached out my hand and...it jumped right onto my palm. I held it for a moment and looked closely at it.

I gently walked it out the door. It hesitated for a bit and then sped off. It was amazing to hold one of those little creatures.

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