I had a pretty extraordinary brush with animal life the first weekend of June.On June 5, I made friends - albeit briefly - with a Northern Flicker. I was driving by on Highfield Road just off Blackfoot and a nasty magpie and crow were taking turns dive-bombing him on the side of the road. I thought the worst but then saw him flap his wings...and turned around to go get him. I probably shouldn't have but I just couldn't imagine the guy getting pecked to death.
He let me pick him up - no fussing - and I brought him back to the office, found him a box and a T-shirt and let him curl up in there. He was watchful - but the fountain in my office and the quiet of a Friday got to him and soon he was asleep, with his beak under his wing. I figured I'd be tired, too, after getting attacked. He had some nasty peck-marks near his tail, and I know nothing about birds.
The wildlife centre said to take him to the Calgary Avian Pet Clinic for triage - and I hated to do it, but at the end of the day, I had to wake the guy up and take him in. I think the stress of the car-travel did it - when I called the next day they said my little buddy didn't make it. I was pretty sad. He was so gorgeous, with big spots, and nice red markings on his neck - and salmon-coloured tailfeather shafts. My birding friends tell me he was probably a hybrid - which is common in Alberta - of a Yellow-Shafted and Red-Shafted Flicker. And that, for him to have been getting picked on, he might have had issues before I "helped" him.
But Spring is full of life here - and the mama bunny in 
our neighbourhood (we suspect she is an escaped pet who prefers the wild side - the jackrabbits ignore her) showed up on Sunday with her new baby. They look so soft, and chinchilla-like! The baby was chowing down on dandelions, and mama was pretty watchful. I can't believe how fast he's grown - only a couple weeks later this baby is nearly full-sized (and now, we don't see him as much)
. But we leave out our wilted lettuce and greens, and somehow they're always gone by morning!
our neighbourhood (we suspect she is an escaped pet who prefers the wild side - the jackrabbits ignore her) showed up on Sunday with her new baby. They look so soft, and chinchilla-like! The baby was chowing down on dandelions, and mama was pretty watchful. I can't believe how fast he's grown - only a couple weeks later this baby is nearly full-sized (and now, we don't see him as much)
. But we leave out our wilted lettuce and greens, and somehow they're always gone by morning!Circle of life.
No comments:
Post a Comment