Thursday, January 20, 2011
The big bang
Greger, who's still not well, was just falling asleep again this morning and I was emailing my sister when an almighty thump from downstairs made us both exclaim "What was that?"
It was a sparrowhawk, lying on the ground at the front of the house.
The bird had clearly hit the window with force and I assumed his neck must be broken; and when I lifted him, his head flopped back. Although he was still breathing I thought it would be just a matter of time before he expired.I took him into the house and supported his head, but he remained limp and his eyes slowly closed. After about five minutes they suddenly opened wide and clear and he began to struggle slightly, so we went out into the garden and I turned him the right way up; he could now raise and turn his head, but he was still very groggy and made no attempt to fly. I was holding him loosely and he gripped my finger with one of his claws.
However as I approached him with the box he gave one startled look as if to say "You're not putting me in that!" and scarpered, flying low across the lawn and disappearing like a blue-grey shadow over the garden gate.
We didn't know what to do. I put him carefully on the ground and went inside to look at the Tiggywinkles' wildlife hospital's website. Greger meanwhile found a cardboard box and I prepared for a drive up to Thame. The sparrowhawk was still standing on the patio, looking very sorry for himself.
However as I approached him with the box he gave one startled look as if to say "You're not putting me in that!" and scarpered, flying low across the lawn and disappearing like a blue-grey shadow over the garden gate. // posted by Christine @ 4:27 AM 
