On Christmas Day TheBrit came running into the house shouting for me. I was upstairs getting dressed to go out to my sister’s house for Christmas dinner. “Ruth! Ruth!! Come quick!”
“What in the world? I’m trying to get ready. Give me a minute,” I responded standing at the top of the stairs looking down at TheBrit who has his hands cupped around something.
“I need your help!” He opened his hands and exclaimed, “I just rescued this from Scamper and Stumpy. They were out there fighting over it.”
Now, Stumpy you see, is a three legged cat. Try as he might he’s not quite fast enough to catch a bird. But Scamper can, and does, on occasion. When he does Stumpy tries to take his catch off him.
The poor little bird was a little shocked. And one of his wings was…not broken, but not 100% either.
So I took the tiny bird from TheBrit’s hands, who immediately got the camera and started snapping pictures.
I’ve done a cursory search and haven’t been able to identify the species.
When TheBrit was done with his picture taking I took the little fellow a good ways away to a tree with some brush around it and let him go. We waited a bit and went back to check on him. He was still in the spot I’d left him. I don’t know if that was a good thing or not.
Then on New Year’s Day, as I was walking past the bird feeder to go and cut some flowers, there he was – that beautiful red cardinal. I knew it was too much to hope for; that he would hang about long enough for me to go back in after the camera. When I emerged ready to snap his visage he was gone. Eluded me again! One day…
By the time I’d returned there were these – everywhere – which I’m fairly certain after a quick Google search are Brown House Sparrows:
January 3, 2015 at 10:20 am
Excellent work Ruth; how charming and heart-warming.
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January 5, 2015 at 8:58 am
Thank you, Hariod. TheBrit is very conscious of other living creatures. To my shame, much moreso than I. He scoops up spiders and other creepy crawlies and takes them to safety(read: far away from me).
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January 5, 2015 at 11:59 am
It’s weird Ruth, everywhere I look in WordPress land these past few days people keep mentioning spiders. My latest post deals with these scary little beasts: http://wp.me/p4wkZJ-bQ Don’t go there if you scare easily! I also notice how certain topics seem to spread like memes at any given time, and this isn’t just due to the obvious nature of internet publication; something creepier is going on I think.
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January 9, 2015 at 3:42 pm
You’ve just crossed over to the Twilight Zone…
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January 3, 2015 at 11:19 am
My first thought was that it might be a female goldfinch, but the tail looks like it might be too long.
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January 3, 2015 at 12:23 pm
It’s beak is a bit long and slender to be a goldfinch, as well. I’ve looked a bit more and I think it might be a Bell’s Vireo Warbler. Maybe? It would be out of it’s normal habitat. I’m a bit too far east for those.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bells_Vireo/lifehistory
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January 3, 2015 at 12:46 pm
Upon looking further I’ve nearly convinced myself it’s a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-crowned_Kinglet/id
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/PHOTO/LARGE/ruby_crowned_kinglet_3.jpg
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January 3, 2015 at 2:35 pm
I agree, I think that’s it!
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January 3, 2015 at 11:57 am
Good for you!
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January 3, 2015 at 12:43 pm
I love the photos
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January 4, 2015 at 5:57 am
I really enjoyed this, Ruth. The capacity of the human heart for caring always amazes me. A tiny bird in trouble really does matter. And on Christmas Day, no less!
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January 5, 2015 at 9:02 am
All creatures great and small matter. TheBrit kept saying, “We saved a life today.” It was precious.
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January 4, 2015 at 2:20 pm
I’m glad you rescued the bird from the cats. I regret that I cannot identify the species. S/he’s adorable … and appears to be of the same species as a fledgling in this Bird Machine video.
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January 5, 2015 at 9:00 am
It does look a lot like the bird in your video. After doing a bit more searching I think it’s a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet. Which, if so, I’m given to understand that I’m fortunate to have seen one.
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January 5, 2015 at 12:48 am
What a cutie and I am so glad the Brit was able to save the little one. 😀
I love the sparrows and I can see they are well fed in your garden for sure. Awesome shots you and the Brit took hon! ♥
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January 5, 2015 at 9:05 am
I hope s/he was able to recover. He couldn’t stand to watch what those cats might do to it. 🙂
Those sparrows are so fun to watch. The flit from branch to branch and feed in groups on the feeder. I scared three or four away from the feeder and only that one remained. The rest flew up into the tree and waited for me to go about my business and then came back to feed. They are quite well fed thanks to TheBrit. He remembers to reload the feeder when it’s empty.
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January 6, 2015 at 1:34 am
I am sure it would..at least that is what I like to tell myself. LOL! Can’t stand the though of it being eaten. 😀
They sure are and you’ll notice they will get used to you. Some of them even like photoshoots. 😆
It’s good to have those who remembers. Around here we hope someone remembers something. hahahaha
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January 8, 2015 at 6:43 am
That first shot of a bird in shock is beautiful, love it. All us Brits are caring you know 😉 Well, for animals at least.
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January 9, 2015 at 3:41 pm
Yes. TheBrit has an affinity for all living things. Well…most living things, anyway.
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January 9, 2015 at 3:57 pm
With the number of cats we have had over the years we’ve had to resuce plenty of birds. And bury quite a few as well, sad to say.
But good for you managing to foil the cats out of a meal.
I think the little birdy is a juvenile Long Tailed Lessor Sidewinder Vulture. I might be wrong, cos we don’t get them here in South Africa and my eyes are playing up.
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January 11, 2015 at 2:22 pm
Yeah, I looked out the window one day and the two of them were tossing a lifeless blue jay back and forth. 😦
I don’t think we get those here either. I’ve convinced myself it’s one of these:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-crowned_Kinglet/id
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