Tag Archives: bird

The Squalicum Pigeon Rescue

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When I left for Bellingham this morning, my intent was to take a walk on the boardwalk. But when I got up there I felt impelled, instead, to head for the Squalicum Pier. I parked in that little parking lot above the pier, and took the trail down. As I came to the pier, I noticed something flapping rhythmically in the water. Was I looking at a seal head? Or…? I snapped some pictures with my camera – and clicked on my camera’s magnifier to make the picture bigger in my viewfinder. I realized I was looking at a bird – and not the kind that normally hangs out in the water – I was looking at a bird that was using its wings to try to swim to shore. Just as I was getting out my cellphone to record a video, I saw a dog on the beach focus in on the bird and start to wade into the water towards it. “Uh oh.”

I heard the pup’s human ask her fur baby, “Did you see a fish?”

I called down, “I think it’s a bird.”

“A bird?”

“Yeah.”

Then I saw the pup’s human wade out into the water and attach the pup to a leash to bring it back to the beach. I called down, “Is the bird alright?” And I think she said yes, but I was having a hard time hearing her, so I told her I’d come down to the beach.

When I got down there, Elizabeth and I introduced ourselves to each other, and Elizabeth introduced me to her furry companion, Phoebe. (Look at that face!) Elizabeth told me the bird was a pigeon – and it looked like a young one – it still had a few little baby feathers coming out of its head. She said if I could hold Phoebe on her leash away from the water, she’d wade back in and retrieve the pigeon.

Elizabeth is a hero!

She waded in and brought the little pigeon back to the beach, tucked under her arm to keep it warm. As the pigeon warmed up, Elizabeth and I chatted, and laughed at the antics of Phoebe, who was having fun shaking Elizabeth’s hoody and investigating all the cool smells that can be found on a beach.

By the time we parted, the pigeon was looking much better (Elizabeth later texted me to tell me it looked like it was going to be just fine), and I’d made two new friends – one human and one canine.

I’m so glad I listened to the voice that told me to go Squalicum Pier today.

A Bird Adventure

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Another bird kamikazied into our dining room window this morning. I heard the “whack!” and looked up to see orange feathers stuck to our window. This was not good.

feathers on window photo by scott

We usually have sun-catchers suction-cupped to our window to let the birds know there’s glass there, but our cat had swiped them all down. I went to get more suction cups for the window and then came back and looked to the ground to see if the bird had landed down there. I saw him immediately. He appeared to be on his back, and I could see he was breathing.

I went outside to check on him. When I got to him he was right-side up – maybe he always had been – and his eyes were open. He was watching me. “It’s alright, little one,” I cooed to him. “It’s okay. Hold on.” I went back inside to look for a box to nestle him in – and found my husband was one step ahead of me. He handed me a small box as I came in the door, I grabbed an old dish towel, and back I went to the little thrush.

“All you can feel is what Love feels. All you can know is what Truth knows. All you can be is the perfect reflection of God,” I told him, as I scooped him into the box and gently covered his body with the towel. He didn’t tweet or chirp or cluck or struggle against my efforts – but he kept an eye on me as I brought him around the house and set him on top of the barrel on the front porch.

little bird who flew into our window

It’s just above freezing here, and I figured the little bird must be cold – maybe in shock – and needed some warmth. As I was talking out loud to myself – trying to talk myself through what I needed to do for the bird – my husband found a small metal water bottle, filled it with hot water and handed it to me. I took it to the bird and nestled it down next to him – hoping it would keep him warm. And now I was thinking the bird would probably like to be able to see his bird buddies in the back yard, so I brought the box through the house and out to the back deck. I set the box on top of a broad shelf, brought the little thrush a bottle-cap full of water, and went back inside to get the dog to take her for a walk with me. I needed to give some prayerful thought to this situation.

As Sam-Dog and I walked around our neighborhood I thought about the bird – held him in my thoughts as an expression of God – always held safe in Her care – loved, protected, cared for.

When Sam and I got back to the house I went out to the porch to check on the bird. His eyes were bright and alert. I opened the towel and he fluttered his wings and took off! He landed on the wooden railing of our porch and looked at me for a moment. I clasped my hands together and said, “Oh! I’m so happy!” He looked at me a moment longer, then pooped, and flew off and landed on a branch on the tree outside our dining room window – where his adventure today had begun.

Life is good!

varied thrush bird this one 1

A Change in the Air

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I felt it this morning – a lightness, a lifting –
a change in the air. A peace that hasn’t been there
for a long time now – a couple of years. A shifting
of the heart from doubt to hope.
This is what it looks like – no balloons or parades –
just smiling people greeting each other
in the sunshine and a pigeon
stretching her wings.
– Karen Molenaar Terrell

Pigeon Takes flight

A pigeon in Bellingham, Washington. Photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell.

 

Birds for Bernie

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Did y’all see the clip of the little bird landing on Bernie Sander’s podium? Isn’t that cool?! 🙂 I can’t imagine a little bird flying to the podium of any other candidate – thousands of people hooting and screaming around him – and happily sitting there for a minute to commune with the speaker. I also can’t imagine any other presidential candidate responding to that little bird in the same way Bernie Sanders did. I’m thinking if that small feathered earthling has the good sense to recognize a friend when he sees one, why shouldn’t human earthlings be able to do that, too?

I am caucusing in Washington State today. Four years ago I caucused for the first time and ended up going to the state convention as a delegate for President Obama. That was such a blast! (You can read all about that little adventure on my Humoristianity blog.) I’m not voting for Bernie today because that little bird endorses him – I have known from the moment Bernie Sanders announced his candidacy that I would be supporting him – but that video clip surely does help validate my choice for me.

Birds for Bernie