So many people don't like the House Sparrows aka HOSP's.  This past weekend, a female HOSP flew into my back window, hard.  I ran to the window to see what happened and looked down to see her lying on the ground, eyes closed, wings spreading and slowly bending backwards.  That's the only way I can explain it.  She looked like a little fallen angel with her wings spread wide.  My first thought was she had died on impact.  But as I watched, she blinked her eyes and closed them again.  I could see that she was breathing.  Oh, boy.

I stood at the window thinking I would see her take her last breath at any moment, but she continued to breath.

After about 15 mins, a Chipmunk appeared, too close to the fallen bird.  I walked out and knelt beside to her.  She was still breathing and every now and then her eyes would open.  I couldn't see any obvious damage, so I gently smoothed her wings into her body and picked her up in my gloved hand.  I sat with her for what seemed forever, stroking her head, which was down, eyes closed, still breathing.

I called my mom and told her to get a small box with some shreaded paper towel on the bottom.  I put her into the box and carried it into the garage.  Every 1/2 hour, I would check on her.  Every time I stroked her, she would raise her head, open her eyes and then close them.  This went on for a couple hours.

The next time I checked, she was up on her feet, eyes open, head up and very aware!  Again, I could see no obvious injuries.  I quickly took the box outside and she flew out and up onto my roof!  I could not believe it!  I honestly thought there was no hope for her.

She remained on the roof for about two hours soaking in the sun, hopping around a bit, until finally she flew away.  I wished her well.

I know, I know, she was just a House Sparrow, hated by so many, but I could never harm a living creature.  It felt really good to have helped her.

[wnyfalconfan (Joyce):]

I just shared all your tweets with Brian.

wnyfalconfan (Joyce): I'm sure we'll have a couple photos to share. Can someone please share with Brian. Thanks

Link:
http://twitter.com/wnyfalconfan/statuses/27048963291

Awesome!  Good work gals.  

Awesome!  Thanks for letting us know Gayle.  They look great!   

Two happy nephews showing off new Rfalcon tee shirts!

Gayle

Very sad news Sage.  Can't your local audubon society put out a call for volunteers to help with your Falcon Watch?  That's one of the reasons we have so many Watchers here in Rochester.  Many locals saw June's article in the D&C (local newspaper) and attended the meeting.  That's how I became involved.

You guys are killing me!

Young European Goldfinch?

 

The Common European Bugaboo Bird?

Wonderful story.  Thanks for sharing Jeanne.   

so is the PPE to far away for band identification? Wish the lady would stick her leg out for just a few minutes. 

Where we are allowed to watch from is too far to get a good look at her bands.  Every now and then, she will fly over our position.  Hopefully someone will get lucky and get closer pics of the KP Falcon.  Also, the Kodak employees are on the lookout.

Going out soon!  The sun is shining!     WooHoo!   

Brian is on his way to the pedestrian bridge.  I'll let you know what we see.

Enjoy the day everyone!

Thought for Today - This just got me thinking. 

Fly Away
John Denver

All of her days have gone soft and cloudy
All of her dreams have gone dry
All of her nights have gone sad and shady
She's getting ready to fly

Fly away, fly away, fly away.

Life in the city can make you crazy
For sounds of the sand and the sea
Life in a high-rise can make you hungry
For things that you can't even see

Fly away, fly away, fly away.

In this whole world there's nobody as lonely as she
There's nowhere to go and there's nowhere
That she'd rather be.

She's looking for lovers and children playing
She's looking for signs of the spring
She listens for laughter and sounds of dancing
She listens for any old things

Fly away, fly away, fly away.

There were 2 other nest boxes at KP.  One was on Building 59 which was demolished, so it got taken down and presumably destroyed.

The nest box is gone, but B-59 is still standing.

There is speculation that the B-83 and B-59 nest boxes were taken down as part of the preparation for the demolition of several nearby buildings in 2006-7. If falcons had moved into either of the nest boxes, they would have been inside the blast zone.

As for the two nest boxes, someone should walk up to the top of the stairwells of B-59 and B-83. I wouldn't be surprised if the nest boxes were still there tucked into a corner.

There is yet another nest box at the top of the stairway at the HSBC bldg (Downtown).  We saw it when we went up to the roof to get a look at the Midtown Plaza rain gutter where Archer and Mariah were exhibiting nesting behaviour.

I always wonder what makes a bird "common"?  To me they're all uncommon and extraordinary!   

My guess is the very rare Uncommon Snipe.   

Thank goodness for those volunteers that are trying to help.   

Thought for Today

"Out of my mind.  Back in five minutes."