Unfortunately, as we discovered yesterday, they are also VERY nervous little birds. The day before one was startled by a Blue Tit landing behind it and it jumped forward into the house through the open window. Unlike the Robin and Blue Tits, which calmly flit around checking things out before they go back outside, the Coal Tits go into an utter panic inside. They fling themselves around the room, bashing into other, closed, windows and totally
exhausting themselves. On that day Steve managed to catch the little bird and set it in the window box where it sat for a good ten minutes recovering. I took photos of it, through the glass (having closed the window to prevent further incident) until it finally flew away. We're fairly certain this one was fledgling.. but not 100% sure.
Now comes the unfortunate part. Yesterday another Coal Tit flew in the window, straight across the room and, crash, into the houseplants in the opposite window... then bang up onto the ceiling fan (not running). As Steve moved towards it to try and shoo it back towards the open window it darted back into the houseplants, fell out and down behind a book case. Silence.. utter silence... we got down and peered in from either side. There it lay, on it's back, little feet in the air, stone cold dead. Talk about feeling guilty! Now the policy is, window closed, or opened just a few inches, when we aren't in the room. Open further when we are in the room watching the birds, but as soon as the Coal Tits arrive we close the window again. We're taking no more chances.
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Cheers, Finny
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Cheers, Finny
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I was sorry to read about the accident. Your 'new policy' sounds like a good one. I also want to add that these photos don't do justice to what Finny sends. Because of size limits on the blog, I have to make them smaller. But when she sends them they fill up my screen (and as a combo Mother's day/birthday I got a new flat panel widescreen!). They are absolutely gorgeous!
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So take a peek out your window and see WHAT'S IN YOUR BACKYARD ??
1 comment:
Ahhh poor thing.
We've had birds hitting windows, but none has come in.
Not sure if this is a fledgling- the beak is abit dark???? But not sure.
We have stickers of butterflies on the windows to help show the birds that there is glass there. Also, when we open a window, we attach a bit of netting by putting velcro round the frame. We really do this to keep out spiders(phobic!) but I guess it would stop this type of accident happening too....
:@}
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