I was reading the paper this morning when there was a thump against our sunroom window. I ran outside to find a New Holland Honeyeater on the ground. I had been to many incidents as an ambulance officer but have never felt so helpless. I picked him up and checked for injuries, lay him on his side in my hand to protect his airway and sat in the shade for about 5 mins. He opened his eyes, gripped my little finger with his feet and after about 2 mins
took off. It was such a beautifully humbling experience.
I realised after sending my original text that the title sounded rather sad and permanent, it is quite the opposite.
Birdsafe
At least your had a happy ending.I rescued what i thought was a baby lorikeet a few weeks ago ( and got bitten a few times in the process) and when the wildflife people got it they euthanised it because it was actually an adult but had beak and feather disease so it looked like a baby with no wings :( You sound like me with your CPR but mine is usually on little water dragons and lizards that have been brought in by the cat. They are so vulnerable aren't they?
Sunshine Coast Queensland
Hi Birdsafe and Birdie,
Birdsafe, that is a very nice story. Both posts reminded me of an article I read in The Australian a few years ago. It was in the section where readers write about their own lives. A guy had written in about finding a lizard (maybe a blue tongue?) at the bottom of his pool. It appeared to be dead. He picked it up, and held it upside down. Some water trickled out, so he breathed into its mouth, and it started breathing and then recovered :-).
Andy.
Hi Birdie and Andy,
I have many small lizards which are called ? skinks in our backyard and I have made air raid shelters for them out of terracotta pots. I buried the pots horizontally, leaving a small space, (lizard size) I have approx. 6 around the garden. So far no tiny fatalties. We also have a magpie family with 2 juveniles who just look at me when I go down the back yard, I think they realize they have never been safer.
I am lucky that I still have a child's sense of wonder for most living things.
Birdsafe
That is a very good idea ( the air raid shelters). Our dragons etc come through the fence from the bush corridor and creek bed adjacent to our pool area, and they usually manage to scurry away back where they came from.
I know exactly what you mean about the deep appreciation of things in nature. I feel like there are things that I could never grow tired of and now that I am over 50 (eek) that child-like feeling seems to have intensified.
Sunshine Coast Queensland
That is a very good idea ( the air raid shelters). Our dragons etc come through the fence from the bush corridor and creek bed adjacent to our pool area, and they usually manage to scurry away back where they came from.
I know exactly what you mean about the deep appreciation of things in nature. I feel like there are things that I could never grow tired of and now that I am over 50 (eek) that child-like feeling seems to have intensified.
Sunshine Coast Queensland