Among Friends

[possummink]

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@Bird mama

@Bird mama 

Bernie,   I am so sorry you had to do such a sad task with your little bird house.   I am glad that the one bird was able to get out.  I wonder how it got 'trapped?' in the house.    I know how much you love your birds, all birds and critters, and how sad it had to make you feel.   

I hope that the male goes back and gets the house ready for a new family, soon, hopefully.     The grackles are back,  oh joy!!,  I don't mind a couple of them but more and more show up and they crowd out and bully the smaller birds like my titmice, chickadees and nuthatches.  Then there are starlings that have come back too, and though they don't bully the others so much, they are pigs with wings, and crowd out the others just by sheer numbers and standing in the middle of the feeder.  

My younger brother came over today, took our brother to his pulmonologist for an appointment.   Going to run another test, this time at Barnes Hospital in the city.   The doctor says they have more and better equipment and do the test better.   Checking to see if any of the pulmonary vessels have any blockages, if so they are treatable.  Fingers crossed. 

 While he was here he cleaned off one part of the roof that is a flat part with a 'wall' around it.  I don't know what purpose this part of the house was designed for, no door leading out to it, but it reminds me of a widow's walk roof part like you'd see up east or in Key West.    It catches and hold leaves and we have to climb up to the second story and climb over the 'wall' then sweep or blow the leaves up and over the sides which are about 30 inches tall, I'd guess.  Over looking this part of the roof is one of the upstairs bedroom's double windows. I've crawled out of those windows in the past to clean the roof off and also have climbed the ladder to clean the gutters and go over to the other side of the upper floor to get in through a different bedroom's windows when my brother locked me out of the house, not knowing I was outside.   Not fun!!    They don't trust my climbing ability anymore, so my younger brother did the job this time. 

We had a winds today, sometimes gusty, but it was sunny and in the 50ies for most of the day.  Got some weed's pulled, already, there's weeds!!   Feeders filled and birds were happy.   Will need to refill them early tomorrow afternoon, for sure. 

[possummink]

[possummink]

[possummink]

[possummink]

[Bird mama]

@possummink  I think I can explain how the male sparrow went into the house and couldn't get out of it.  I've been in the presence of sparrows when they pass and it's a profound experience.  No matter if their end comes with age (like my Peewee or Poppi) or illness (like Skipper the outside sparrow from 2008) right before they cross over they get still and then they extend their wings fully and completely as if they are flying.  For me it's like watching their little souls soar to heaven.

When their spirits leave, some sparrows wings will retract and lay close to their bodies like the wings were when they were living.  With others, their wings retract some but not completely. 

I believe that's what happened with the little one who passed away in the house.  It's head was facing the opening and it's rear was facing the back of the bird house.  The only visual I can come up with it a badminton shuttlecock.

When the male living sparrow went into the house, he squeezed past the head and wings of the decedent because he was more or less going with the grain if that makes sense.  When it came time to leave, he was blocked by the feathers.

[possummink]

@Bird mama 

Bernie,  Your explanation makes a lot of sense.   I didn't realize that about sparrows when they "fly off to Heaven".   I do like your thoughts about their little souls heading home to Heaven.   Then they get to sing in the beautiful

 gardens there and join the Angel chorus at times.   Must be a magnificent and glorious place, for sure.  Always joyful and peaceful. 

The beauty above is a Carolina Wren, one of my favorite visitors to my feeders.  They are pretty brave and unafraid of me and even get onto the back porch.   One time,  one of them got into the house and was flying around in the living room(very large room) and landed in my Norfolk Pine tree.  I just opened the front door and that smart little critter flew out before the cats even knew what was going on.   The picture was taken by a guy in one of the  groups I belong to on FB,  Missouri Nature Lovers.   I just c and p'd it!

[possummink]

Another picture from the same group on FB.

[Bird mama]

I so admire photographers who are able to get such clear photographs of birds.  Birds are almost constantly in motion and I know many of my photos come out blurry @possummink 

[mousiegirl]