Hi all
I wasn't going to post this but thought I would in the end as it intrigued me. This could be quite long (as is my way) but I will try to keep it short!
Over the weekend we had family staying and on Sunday were sitting all comfortably in the conservatory watching what was going on in the garden (yeah I like to get everyone involved - you don't get a choice round our place!) when all of a sudden great activity erupted in the garden.
We have a cat (Garfie) who isn't that interested in birds. Our next door neighbour has 2 cats one is old and the other quite young and loves my birds. Garfie hates the next door neighbour's cat and most days I am spared her visiting because she's half his size and scared of him and won't try anything if he's around. However on Sunday the sneaky minx had climbed up the fence to infiltrate the cottoneaster which was buzzing with sparrows. Garfie spotting this backdoor approach went in all guns blazing, howls and all manner of shrieks, spitting and cat fur flying eminating from the shrub. As I went rushing out there to break it up, the noise was unbelievable, a blackbird flew out of the shrub straight past me towards the ivy on the other side of the garden (obviously not just sparrows were in there). I managed to break up the cats who then went into a Mexican standoff position, low growling etc until the sneaky whatsit jumped back over her side. When I walked back to the back door, I found the blackbird which had flown past dead by the ivy.
I checked the windows of the conservatory but there was nothing on there to show she had flown into them in a panic, then I checked the blackbird (female poor thing) and she didn't have a mark on her, eyes wide open and legs straight down, not curled up for flying as if she had just dropped over to one side. Could she have died of fright I wonder?
It was just really strange and obviously I was sad to lose a bird.
Regards
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
Oh dear - how sad. I suppose it could have died of fright - I daresay birds, like people, may have heart attacks? If it was an older bird it would make this more likely, perhaps.
Make the boy interested in natural history if you can; it is better than games [Robert Falcon Scott]
Hi Kezmo
How sad all because of the cats disagreement .... the Blackbird went AWOL
I think what the Blackbird has done is fly into the Ivy which may have been attached to a hard surface and broke its neck
This same thing happened to me at the beginning of this year. I was in the kitchen washing the dishes and I saw Mr Blackie suddenly lying on his side on the grass. So I went out and picked him up and he was still warm. I knew he was in the process of dying. His body was hard, but warm. I was quite upset about it for a while afterwards.
The resident Mr Blackies had been fighting a lot, and this Blackbird had black feathers in his claws so I knew that is what he had been doing. I believe he flew into the fence, rebounded, and broke his neck.
I put him in a spare shoebox and buried him in the back garden - so sad!
Just a sad day. {sad face}
That is my hunch, Kezmo
Kathy and Dave
Kezmo, I obviously don't know the answer, I would only be guessing, but I am sorry you had this experience. It is bad enough finding a dead bird at any time.
Hi all,
Yeah I know it's a difficult one to answer, as really the poor bird is the only one who can answer the question but I just I thought I would share it with you. Appreciate your replies.
So sorry to read about your blackbird. She could well have died of shock as this is not uncommon.
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Oh Kezmo! You do it me every time! Although I am saddened by the death of the bird, your manner of writing has me in fits of laughter! Very inappropriate I know! It's the spitting, growling, fur flying and Mexican stand off that did it!
As for blackie, not sure really. It could have been shock; could have been a collision... who knows!
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
My photos on Flickr
Hi Squirrel and MarJus
Thanks for the replies - guess I'll never know, but it did sadden me all the same, bless her heart.