Earlier today, while bidding on ebay for an iphone, there was a loud "pang" upstairs and I noticed an object fall. I thought it was the neighbours upstairs throwing bread out the window for the seagulls again. I went outside to find a bird having a great deal of trouble on the ground. Before the cat or dog got to it, I picked it up. It was thoroughly stunned. For the next hour I held the bird and had it on my shoulder for quite a while. The colours were rich orange with black stripes. It's balance was poor and it couldn't fly properly. I took care of it hoping it would again take to the air. It puked up several Mountain Ash berries. As my neighbours came over to look at the bird and I went out on the porch with the bird in my hand, it started shuddering. It died in my hands. I didn't want to believe it had died but it did. How precious life is and at any moment it is gone. Hopefully I made it's last hour of life comfortable. I dug a hole in the front garden near where I found it, put a collection of Fuchsia and other flowers in with the bird and buried it. RIP beautiful Varied Thrush.
Today's Encounter with a Varied Thrush
Yes, indeed. :(...
How sweet & kind of you to give it a bit of comfort in the end.
How poignant.