Hi - after 12 months with only 2 bird strikes, I've had 3 today. There was no sight of the 1st, presumably flew straight away (was at the window in secs), the second hit the kitchen window, dropped slightly, then swooped up and flew away. The third hit the back door with a thump. Ran through and he was lying on his side, waving one leg and looking like he was dying. My hubby ran out and the bird (juv starling) staggered to its feet, stumbled a few feet, then flew into the top of the camelia bush (very thick and deep). We waited a few minutes then went over, heard a rustling as something fluttered on a branch. I managed to see the bird through the leaves and he looked quite alert, but not showing any signs of coming out.
Our local wildlife hospital always says stick them in a box somewhere quiet for a couple of hours then let them go and see if they manage, if not pop them back into said box and take them to him. As the bird was in the middle of a dense bush I figured that trying to get him out and catch him would be very stressful for him, so we've left him for now - been half an hour or so.
Question is: Do we just leave him to get on with it - or should we check in an hour or so and if he's still not looking likely try and catch him? One problem is that we have had lots of new fledgling starlings today and I don't know if he's one of those or an older one, although I've not seen any adults looking for him and he isn't calling out from the bush.
Whilst writing this my hubby saw an adult on the fence, on the ground and flying around the bush. A youngster came to the edge of the branch took the food then went back inside. May not be the same bird, but probably is. Not sure if this changes things...........
Cheers Deb
http://www.flickr.com/photos/Debz_14/
i would just leave them to it. Trying to catch will only distress more.
Young birds do flutter when begging for food
Ray
a good laugh is better than a tonic
Not a young fledgling, the dependant fledgling flew out. just saw it's face clearly, got the sleek look they get after a week or so. Not showing any signs of coming out, so put a small plastic tray on some branches with a few bits of suet, worms and sultanas. It's been a couple of hours now since it hit the window - it's face looks lively and alert and it's hopping around in the bush, but surely it should be coming out now.
Just a bit of a worry cos the bush backs onto the fence we share with our neighbours who have a 'hunting' cat who sits under this bush during the night and early hours. Plus a couple of other cats have been spotted prowling the garden during the night by my night owl son.
Thats probably why it won't come out into the open, it will feel safer in the bush.
Just hope it pulls round
Thankyou - yes it did seem to do. Sat in there for 5 mins short of two hours then flew out into the middle of the lawn, then wondered around as if it was seeing everything for the first time, was very inquisitive. Couldn't fly properly though and was just doing little hops when it flapped its wings. My hubby had just gone into the garage to get a box (we were going to try and catch him if he couldn't fly and take him to the wildlife hosp) when he part hopped part flew into a dwarf conifer. As my hubby came out of the garage he saw a bird fly out of the garden from the area of the conifer and there was no sign of the injured bird - we searched all over (small garden) but nothing, so we assume that he just needed to reacquaint himself with flying.
nice ending Deb. sometimes all it takes is a little time.