The birdwoman of Portland

I am just blown away this year about the number of bird rescues and encounters I’ve had so far in 2008. Yesterday was quite the interesting day indeed!!

• First in the early AM as I’m sitting in the garden with my coffee, I hear screeches from multiple birds that sound like hawks. Sure enough out on the uppermost limb of one of my 200 year old Douglas firs are 2 baby birds of prey (still investigating what they are)...making all sorts of noise as mommy drops in with breakfast for them!!!!!

Oh what a sight. I had my camera in my hands and was so blown away at this unusual sight in the confines of the city that I zoned out taking a photo!!!! I have plans to set up the tripod today with the 400 mm zoom and hope for the best!!

• The photos in this journal entry are about my evening encounter. I went out in my yard with my hot tea in the evening ( I do love my hot beverages apparently…lol) and was sitting, taking in the garden and the peacefulness…..when I suddenly heard splashing in my small wildlife watering hole

I went over to investigate and here was a tiny chickadee in fledgling feather flapping for his life in the water. My guess is he must have just fallen in or he would have been more exhausted.

I scooped his little shivering body up out of the water and cradled him in my hands and called to Steve to grab the camera and he got these pix.

It’s a very hard call to know what to do with these “almost ready for flight” babies when I find them. He was fine but cold so I warmed him up and dried him, then back into the garden we went to see if he would fly.

He stood for about 5 minutes on my open hand while I talked softly to him and finally hopped off onto a dogwood shrub about a foot off the ground.

His mother was watching when I walked away she came down to see him so I hope he made it through the night. As long as mommy is feeding him things should be ok. (crossing fingers)

I love this series of 3 photos. Such a fragile little life in the safety of human hands