One of the delights of a garden is watching the birds as they raid the bird feeders and feast upon the aphids. At this time of year, there are babies too, taking their first flight from the nest, still reliant on their parents for food and guidance.
Nick and I had spent much of the morning working in his garden and watching a young family of sparrows.
“How come,” asked my son, as the sparrows flew in around me to get to the feeders, “the birds don’t seem to be frightened of you?”
“Maybe they know they don’t need to worry.” There is another answer to that, but it would have taken too long when I was up to my elbows in roses. Whatever the reason, I count it as both a privilege and a gift that the birds do not seem afraid.
We sat outside and watched them over coffee. There were a dozen or more flitting in and out from their staging area on the fence.
Some still had the downy feathers and wide yellow beaks of the newly fledged, waiting impatiently for their parents to bring their breakfast.
Others were beginning to stretch both their wings and their independence, flitting down into the Japanese maple and the roses in search of their own meal.
I could not resist taking a few photos from my perch on the step. It is a peaceful way to pass the time and, for some reason, watching sparrows always seems to leave you with a smile on your face.
By the afternoon, the sparrows had gone, foraging, no doubt, in neighbouring gardens. I locked the gate behind me and went home. But not for long.
“Mum…” said my son on the phone. “Could you come down, please?” I had barely been home an hour, but I could hear that something was wrong. “There are two dead birds… Oh! One of them twitched!”
“I’m on my way. “
Five miles later, I arrived to find my son sitting on the flagstones, with two immobile youngsters laying in front of him. Both still had the traces of juvenile yellow at the corners of their beaks.
“I think that one has died,” said my son, indicating the sparrow nearest to me. I got down on my knees and looked closer. One small, black eye flickered and I could see the trembling of feathers as it breathed. The other one seemed to be fairly alert, but was still not moving. “I think this one has hurt its leg…and,” he continued, “the red kite keeps circling very low.”
He had already watched for a while from a distance to protect them, hoping their parents would come for them. Climbing precariously across the back of the pond, so as not to disturb the birds, I went in search of a cardboard box, lining it with tissue. If need be, I would take them to the local wildlife rescue… but I had a feeling they would be okay. And a feeling I knew what had happened.
Nick had been inside and heard an almighty racket, as a gang of young starlings had been fighting over the feeders as usual. A downy, telltale feather and dusty silhouette on the window above the immobile sparrows seemed evidence enough that they had been ousted by the bullies and had discovered, the hard way, that you cannot fly through glass.
The one Nick thought had an injured leg allowed me to pick it up without flinching. There was immediate reassurance as it gripped my finger with both feet. I stroked the soft back and wings, making sure there was no other injury… the little one didn’t mind and seemed reluctant to let go of my finger as I placed it in the box. The other… the ‘dead’ one… flew away as soon as I approached, pausing by the gate before making its escape. I checked all around the car-park, but he was nowhere to be seen. This, I hope, was good
It pretty much confirmed my theory. Fleeing the bullies, around an hour earlier, they had hit the window and stunned themselves. As long as no bones were broken, they would probably be fine. The youngster in the box also seemed brighter and, with a little flutter, flew up into the climbing rose, waiting there and watching us for a while before flying off into the trees. We could not have wished for a happier ending.
If you find an injured bird, please make sure you know if and how you should handle them. The RSPB has guidelines HERE.
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
I’m so glad for the happy ending.
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So were we… they are so small and fragile, especially when they are so young.
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Indeed. 👍🥰
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🙂
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Pingback: Birdwatching, Peace and Panic… — Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo – Sarah's Attic Of Treasures
It’s natural to root for those little guys who are just starting their lives. I’m glad they recovered.
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So were we, Audrey. And I hope they now understand about window glass.
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Really enjoyed your post Sue, Starlings do take over the bird feeds arriving like a gang of yobs make a lot of noise and flapping of wings. Then they have gone and peace is restored and the smaller stunned birds come out of hiding and return – until the next gang arrival.
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The young starlings are especially brash… but realy interetsing to watch as they establish their place in the flock heirarchy.
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I do worry about bird feeders sometimes, and usually end up with more than I intended, just to keep the peace!
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I know what you mean.
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So glad the little sparrows were OK. I love those little birds. So argumentative and belligerent!
We used to have a lot when we first moved here, then after some years they vanished. I’m glad to say that they’re now back, as argumentative as ever.
We also have a blackbird who is full of character. We grow pink currants, grapes and cherries and have a race to get them before he does!
The other day, I was sitting outside in the sun when he came down and stood looking at the currents. He turned his eye on me and I said ‘No!’. He looked back at the bushes, then back at me. I re-iterated ‘No!’, whereupon he flew, as I thought, away. But no. He came down again behind the bushes where he thought I couldn’t see him.
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The birds are a real delight to have around. Even though they eat all my strawberries every year…
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So glad the birds were okay ❤
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So were we ❤
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Oh Sue, what a great story! I’m so glad they were alright in the end, but poor things being ousted by the bullies! Nature really is red in tooth and claw, isn’t it? Still, I’m not surprised you felt to privileged to be involved in their little world today, and I’m so pleased they were both OK. Great idea to add the link to the RSPB guidelines. At least you have Tiggywinkles nearby if needs be. We’ve made more than a few trips there with various sized boxes over the years… 🙂
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With more than a few birds!
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I know the feeling 🙂
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Yes, Tiggywinkles has been a godsend here too. It is always best to give them a chance to recover on their own, but sometimes it needs a little more.
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Indeed, sometimes it does need more, and where would we be without the heroes at Tiggys? I’m so glad your little sparrows recovered. They looked gorgeous. 🙂
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They were… and the little one who was completely unafraid was a sheer delight 🙂
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I can quite imagine. 🙂
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😏
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A great post Sue and I’m glad it had a happy ending – that’s a very dramatic demonstration of where the phrase ‘pecking order’ comes from.
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Oh there is no doubt about the origin of that hrase when you watch them…
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How wonderful Sue, and so glad the babes were OK.
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It was good to watch them fly 🙂
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So small and fragile. We’ve had a couple of fledglings hit our windows this week but they’ve been OK.
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Eliza just suggested decals on the windows near the feeder, which is a great idea.
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We don’t have feeders up since the ratilda episode, but it is an excellent idea. We have vertical blinds at the front windows.
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Nick has blinds too… but not on that window.
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Window strikes can be so heartbreaking. I’m glad these two survived. Maybe some decals on the windows might help in the future.
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That is a really good idea, Eliza. I’ll speak to Nick.
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What a wonderful idea!!! 😀 … I was thinking something like patterned sheers over the inside, or outside, of the windows. 🙂
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They sell fine netting to install about 3″ from the outside of the window, that birds will see and avoid, or at worst, bounce off of, but it takes a dedicated soul to alter their view like that.
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Windows open outwards here, which makes that solution impractical.
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That would work too.
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Whew! I’m glad there was a happy ending. You have been given a gift, that birds aren’t afraid of you.
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It was odd, the very next day, my graddaughter asked the same question as the birds perched on the top of the trampoline while we were playing.
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Children see more than we give them credit for.
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Those two see pretty much everything 😉
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😀
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Reblogged this on Campbells World.
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Aww, this is a great story, Sue. I have raised a few birds in my life. I fed them by hand wit a syringe.
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We’ve done that too…the local children always brought me the injured ones.
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I am so glad all was well 😊
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Me too, Willow.
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Those Starlings are real hooligans!
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But so interesting to watch how they interact.
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Yes they make me smile when them explode into the garden and run riot 😵💜
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I know just what you mean 🙂 xx
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Lol
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Not everyone ‘gets’ that you are a ‘bird-whisperer’. 🙂 … good to hear the babies flew away on their own, perhaps nursing tiny headaches though.
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I rather think they might be, bless them 🙂
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