As Amy and I sat on our deck tonight feeding the feral cat that’s been hanging around here for the past two months, I noticed a flutter over near our bird feeder. It looked like a bird had gotten itself stuck on some thistle briers near our feeders. As Amy and I walked over to investigate, sure enough, a poor little female sparrow had gotten it’s leg feathers stuck to the briers. It fluttered a little then became still again. I cradled the bird in my hand while Amy skillfully cut away the briers holding the bird to the plant. Once she was free of the plant stalk, we delicately cut the remaining barbs from her leg feathers, all the time she sat quietly in my hand almost as if she knew we were helping her. After the last barbs were free, I gently set her on the ground. Within moments she took to flight and flew off to light in a tree nearby. As Amy was out working on the deck a bit later, she said a sparrow did a flyby within a few feet of her. I wonder if that was our little rescued girl showing her appreciation or perhaps her mate.
