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Story of a bird

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LanceD

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I woke up one morning and heard noise in my fireplace. At first, I thought it was the wind and ignored it. But the noise was on and off until noon. My wife and I investigated it. Turned out this poor little "teenage" bird probably played on my chimney and slipped its feet and felt into it probably from yesterday evening. Unfortunately, it didn't felt into the fireplace where I can easily rescure it. He felt between the tubes and somehow ended up between the fireplace and the wall. I was almost giving up on rescuring him, then realized I can break a hole in my laundry room to gain access to him. So with a hammer, I broke a 3"x3" hole. After the first layer of drywall, I expected to see him. However, I saw another layer of drywall. I thought to myself: stupid builder, why did they put a drywall in the fireplace? I decided to break that second layer of drywall, after two hits, I saw light coming through. Shttt? what's going one? I then realize I broke the wall at a wrong location, and ended up break a wall in my LIVING ROOM!!!! Oh well, too late to give up now, I decided to break another hole, and was able to get my hand to him. Before released it, I decided to take a good shot of it for the cost 3 holes in my walls. Enjoy the picture.

--
Lance
 
Lance:

I have always been able to tell from your posts your a good and decent man. This just proved it to me!

I think that if this exact same thing had happened to 50 other people only 1 in 50 would wreck their house in an effort to save a bird. I am one of those people that would have done the exact same thing in your shoes. What's a little sheetrock when compared to a life!

The photo is cute, but more importantly I think you really showed us who you are tonight!

Thanks!!! Stever
LanceD said:


I woke up one morning and heard noise in my fireplace. At first, I
thought it was the wind and ignored it. But the noise was on and
off until noon. My wife and I investigated it. Turned out this poor
little "teenage" bird probably played on my chimney and slipped its
feet and felt into it probably from yesterday evening.
Unfortunately, it didn't felt into the fireplace where I can easily
rescure it. He felt between the tubes and somehow ended up between
the fireplace and the wall. I was almost giving up on rescuring
him, then realized I can break a hole in my laundry room to gain
access to him. So with a hammer, I broke a 3"x3" hole. After the
first layer of drywall, I expected to see him. However, I saw
another layer of drywall. I thought to myself: stupid builder, why
did they put a drywall in the fireplace? I decided to break that
second layer of drywall, after two hits, I saw light coming
through. Shttt? what's going one? I then realize I broke the wall
at a wrong location, and ended up break a wall in my LIVING
ROOM!!!! Oh well, too late to give up now, I decided to break
another hole, and was able to get my hand to him. Before released
it, I decided to take a good shot of it for the cost 3 holes in my
walls. Enjoy the picture.

--
Lance
Click to expand...
--
...they don't qualify as 'galleries' but http://www.fotki.com/pukrat
 
Wow, what a story! I'm sure it was not any fun for you!. did your wife get mad when you broke into the living room?
LanceD said:


I woke up one morning and heard noise in my fireplace. At first, I
thought it was the wind and ignored it. But the noise was on and
off until noon. My wife and I investigated it. Turned out this poor
little "teenage" bird probably played on my chimney and slipped its
feet and felt into it probably from yesterday evening.
Unfortunately, it didn't felt into the fireplace where I can easily
rescure it. He felt between the tubes and somehow ended up between
the fireplace and the wall. I was almost giving up on rescuring
him, then realized I can break a hole in my laundry room to gain
access to him. So with a hammer, I broke a 3"x3" hole. After the
first layer of drywall, I expected to see him. However, I saw
another layer of drywall. I thought to myself: stupid builder, why
did they put a drywall in the fireplace? I decided to break that
second layer of drywall, after two hits, I saw light coming
through. Shttt? what's going one? I then realize I broke the wall
at a wrong location, and ended up break a wall in my LIVING
ROOM!!!! Oh well, too late to give up now, I decided to break
another hole, and was able to get my hand to him. Before released
it, I decided to take a good shot of it for the cost 3 holes in my
walls. Enjoy the picture.

--
Lance
Click to expand...
--
Bill B
http://www.pbase.com/bill_b
 
Great story and great shot to go along with it! I am just getting ready to head to bed and it gives me a wonderful feeling to have just read your post. Thank you so much for sharing with us!
 
As far as I know Sparrows kill their members who have been handled by humans. I have seen this happen to many such sparrows in my childhood. Your rescuing might have been in vain.
LanceD said:


I woke up one morning and heard noise in my fireplace. At first, I
thought it was the wind and ignored it. But the noise was on and
off until noon. My wife and I investigated it. Turned out this poor
little "teenage" bird probably played on my chimney and slipped its
feet and felt into it probably from yesterday evening.
Unfortunately, it didn't felt into the fireplace where I can easily
rescure it. He felt between the tubes and somehow ended up between
the fireplace and the wall. I was almost giving up on rescuring
him, then realized I can break a hole in my laundry room to gain
access to him. So with a hammer, I broke a 3"x3" hole. After the
first layer of drywall, I expected to see him. However, I saw
another layer of drywall. I thought to myself: stupid builder, why
did they put a drywall in the fireplace? I decided to break that
second layer of drywall, after two hits, I saw light coming
through. Shttt? what's going one? I then realize I broke the wall
at a wrong location, and ended up break a wall in my LIVING
ROOM!!!! Oh well, too late to give up now, I decided to break
another hole, and was able to get my hand to him. Before released
it, I decided to take a good shot of it for the cost 3 holes in my
walls. Enjoy the picture.

--
Lance
Click to expand...
 
Stever,

Thanks for your nice words. I'm not sure if I'm that big :-), but I just can stand the feeling of leaving a bird dying behind a wall. He desperately tried to fly out, but how could he? it was 20 feets tall and 2 inches narrow (between the tubes). That feeling was much stronger than my resistance to break the wall, so I did it. My son poking at that hole in my living room almost every day :-) Anyhow, I covered the hole in my laundry room with a faceplate, because I may need that hole later in to rescure another bird :-)
Stever said:
I have always been able to tell from your posts your a good and
decent man. This just proved it to me!

I think that if this exact same thing had happened to 50 other
people only 1 in 50 would wreck their house in an effort to save a
bird. I am one of those people that would have done the exact same
thing in your shoes. What's a little sheetrock when compared to a
life!

The photo is cute, but more importantly I think you really showed
us who you are tonight!

Thanks!!! Stever
LanceD said:


I woke up one morning and heard noise in my fireplace. At first, I
thought it was the wind and ignored it. But the noise was on and
off until noon. My wife and I investigated it. Turned out this poor
little "teenage" bird probably played on my chimney and slipped its
feet and felt into it probably from yesterday evening.
Unfortunately, it didn't felt into the fireplace where I can easily
rescure it. He felt between the tubes and somehow ended up between
the fireplace and the wall. I was almost giving up on rescuring
him, then realized I can break a hole in my laundry room to gain
access to him. So with a hammer, I broke a 3"x3" hole. After the
first layer of drywall, I expected to see him. However, I saw
another layer of drywall. I thought to myself: stupid builder, why
did they put a drywall in the fireplace? I decided to break that
second layer of drywall, after two hits, I saw light coming
through. Shttt? what's going one? I then realize I broke the wall
at a wrong location, and ended up break a wall in my LIVING
ROOM!!!! Oh well, too late to give up now, I decided to break
another hole, and was able to get my hand to him. Before released
it, I decided to take a good shot of it for the cost 3 holes in my
walls. Enjoy the picture.

--
Lance
Click to expand...
--
...they don't qualify as 'galleries' but http://www.fotki.com/pukrat
Click to expand...
--
Lance
 
but how could the other members know he was rescured by a human being?
zain said:
LanceD said:


I woke up one morning and heard noise in my fireplace. At first, I
thought it was the wind and ignored it. But the noise was on and
off until noon. My wife and I investigated it. Turned out this poor
little "teenage" bird probably played on my chimney and slipped its
feet and felt into it probably from yesterday evening.
Unfortunately, it didn't felt into the fireplace where I can easily
rescure it. He felt between the tubes and somehow ended up between
the fireplace and the wall. I was almost giving up on rescuring
him, then realized I can break a hole in my laundry room to gain
access to him. So with a hammer, I broke a 3"x3" hole. After the
first layer of drywall, I expected to see him. However, I saw
another layer of drywall. I thought to myself: stupid builder, why
did they put a drywall in the fireplace? I decided to break that
second layer of drywall, after two hits, I saw light coming
through. Shttt? what's going one? I then realize I broke the wall
at a wrong location, and ended up break a wall in my LIVING
ROOM!!!! Oh well, too late to give up now, I decided to break
another hole, and was able to get my hand to him. Before released
it, I decided to take a good shot of it for the cost 3 holes in my
walls. Enjoy the picture.

--
Lance
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
--
Lance
 
Bill,

You should see how big her eyes were when she saw the hole in the living room :-). But she knew I can fix that myself, so she let it goes. Pheww...
Bill Borne said:
LanceD said:


I woke up one morning and heard noise in my fireplace. At first, I
thought it was the wind and ignored it. But the noise was on and
off until noon. My wife and I investigated it. Turned out this poor
little "teenage" bird probably played on my chimney and slipped its
feet and felt into it probably from yesterday evening.
Unfortunately, it didn't felt into the fireplace where I can easily
rescure it. He felt between the tubes and somehow ended up between
the fireplace and the wall. I was almost giving up on rescuring
him, then realized I can break a hole in my laundry room to gain
access to him. So with a hammer, I broke a 3"x3" hole. After the
first layer of drywall, I expected to see him. However, I saw
another layer of drywall. I thought to myself: stupid builder, why
did they put a drywall in the fireplace? I decided to break that
second layer of drywall, after two hits, I saw light coming
through. Shttt? what's going one? I then realize I broke the wall
at a wrong location, and ended up break a wall in my LIVING
ROOM!!!! Oh well, too late to give up now, I decided to break
another hole, and was able to get my hand to him. Before released
it, I decided to take a good shot of it for the cost 3 holes in my
walls. Enjoy the picture.

--
Lance
Click to expand...
--
Bill B
http://www.pbase.com/bill_b
Click to expand...
--
Lance
 
You are very kindhearted !
The photo is great ! Very sharp and color excellent !
 
LanceD,

Well heck on the walls.
(smiles)
But, good on the rescue.

Nice Pic........
NC
LanceD said:


I woke up one morning and heard noise in my fireplace. At first, I
thought it was the wind and ignored it. But the noise was on and
off until noon. My wife and I investigated it. Turned out this poor
little "teenage" bird probably played on my chimney and slipped its
feet and felt into it probably from yesterday evening.
Unfortunately, it didn't felt into the fireplace where I can easily
rescure it. He felt between the tubes and somehow ended up between
the fireplace and the wall. I was almost giving up on rescuring
him, then realized I can break a hole in my laundry room to gain
access to him. So with a hammer, I broke a 3"x3" hole. After the
first layer of drywall, I expected to see him. However, I saw
another layer of drywall. I thought to myself: stupid builder, why
did they put a drywall in the fireplace? I decided to break that
second layer of drywall, after two hits, I saw light coming
through. Shttt? what's going one? I then realize I broke the wall
at a wrong location, and ended up break a wall in my LIVING
ROOM!!!! Oh well, too late to give up now, I decided to break
another hole, and was able to get my hand to him. Before released
it, I decided to take a good shot of it for the cost 3 holes in my
walls. Enjoy the picture.

--
Lance
Click to expand...
 
Birds are rescued by humans, rehabilitated and returned to the wild all the time. The idea that they are killed by their peers is an urban legend. The problem lies more in the bird's age and its ability, or lack of, to survive on its own, having been separated from its parents.

Your bird does not look especially young. Judging by the blackish spot on its chin, it looks like it might be a first year male about to go into full adult plumage (although I don't know that much about House Sparrows). So it should be fine. On the other hand, is that right eye injured, or was the bird just blinking when you snapped the picture?

Either way you would have had a dead (and smelly) bird in your wall, so you did the right thing.

George

--
gd_gd
 
No, it wasn't blind. But somehow, that eye closed more often than the other one.
gd_gd said:
Birds are rescued by humans, rehabilitated and returned to the wild
all the time. The idea that they are killed by their peers is an
urban legend. The problem lies more in the bird's age and its
ability, or lack of, to survive on its own, having been separated
from its parents.

Your bird does not look especially young. Judging by the blackish
spot on its chin, it looks like it might be a first year male about
to go into full adult plumage (although I don't know that much
about House Sparrows). So it should be fine. On the other hand, is
that right eye injured, or was the bird just blinking when you
snapped the picture?

Either way you would have had a dead (and smelly) bird in your
wall, so you did the right thing.

George

--
gd_gd
Click to expand...
--
Lance
 
Lance --

I commend you on this extraordinary effort! I guess there are still some of us left who are willing to take on some responsibility for the perils visited upon natures critters by human development. Slightly OT, but related to this, is the equal responsibility that goes with taking them out of their natural environment such that we ruin their ability to survive if ever returned to it. Several years ago, our first cockatiel got out in a freak combinations of circumstances. As well as spending several $hundred in newpaper adverts, we personally letterboxed over 2200 houses in a futile endeaviour to find him. You sound like one of the relatively few people who could understand that.

Mike
Stever said:
Lance:

I have always been able to tell from your posts your a good and
decent man. This just proved it to me!

I think that if this exact same thing had happened to 50 other
people only 1 in 50 would wreck their house in an effort to save a
bird. I am one of those people that would have done the exact same
thing in your shoes. What's a little sheetrock when compared to a
life!

The photo is cute, but more importantly I think you really showed
us who you are tonight!

Thanks!!! Stever
Click to expand...
 
As George has put it, the notion of mere human contact being in itself a hazard is urban myth. And as well as rescues, we need to remember that thousands of birds are handled yearly by researchers for banding purposes, ultimately in their own interests, without the slightest compromise to their own community status.

Most birds have no sense of smell, or a very weak one at best (there are exceptions). OTOH they certainly do possess the ability to recognise a compromised member of their flock and, sadly, will often act to kill it, especially in times of limited food supply. The same goes for nestlings that will sometimes eject smaller siblings from the nest. It's the "survival of the fittest" mechanism at work.

Birds also go into shock very easily, and the psychological trauma they suffer in some situations can do far more damage than severe physical injury, acting either to drain life itself directly, or to reveal them as weakened group members that "need" to be culled by their peers.

Nature can be pretty cruel.

Mike
morecoffee said:
I believe that only applies to a young bird reinserted into a nest.
He would smell more like concrete than human!
Click to expand...
 
Sadly as a child I was responsible for a number of such sparrow deaths.

I dont know how they recognise that one of them have been handled by a human.

As a child I used to think myself as a hunter. tried to fish never caught one. Sparrows on the other hand were very easy. Just take a round shallow basket turn it upside down and raise it at one end with a small stick and attach a thread to it and sit far away while the birds come for the grain.

Other birds are smart they rarely fall for this only the sparrows would be there in a few minutes all it took was a sharp tug at the thread.

I got into trouble with my father because of this a few times. I was stubbourn and couldnt belvive the sparrows killed thier own. So I would try differnet things before releasing like keepign the bird for a few days with me.

I have had parrots, Pegions and a few other birds they were never killed due to being handled it was always sparrows.

As I grew up if a sparrow was injuired I would try not to touch it directly and make sure that it was not visible to others while it recoverd. Im not sure if it worked as those I released I never saw what happened to them.
Mike Fitzgerald said:
Most birds have no sense of smell, or a very weak one at best
(there are exceptions). OTOH they certainly do possess the ability
to recognise a compromised member of their flock and, sadly, will
often act to kill it, especially in times of limited food supply.
The same goes for nestlings that will sometimes eject smaller
siblings from the nest. It's the "survival of the fittest"
mechanism at work.

Birds also go into shock very easily, and the psychological trauma
they suffer in some situations can do far more damage than severe
physical injury, acting either to drain life itself directly, or to
reveal them as weakened group members that "need" to be culled by
their peers.

Nature can be pretty cruel.

Mike
morecoffee said:
I believe that only applies to a young bird reinserted into a nest.
He would smell more like concrete than human!
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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