Since Friday this little chap has been a guest at Pokerbird WHQ. God knows how he (if male he is – I think so) got in to our backyard. As you may see from the second photo it’s a death-trap typical of the Port Marine development; there’s certainly no way out for a bird that can only flutter a few inches into the air. The third picture gives a better idea of why: that short tail ain’t helping none.
However Mum and Dad have been in attendance and the very jail-like attributes of the yard do serve to keep predators out. I mean cats of course. Also now the bird can get on to the trunk, it’s well camouflaged. The tiny patch of greenery bottom right has served as refuge during the night and in the heat of the day. The only modification I’ve had to make to help him survive is to keep housemates out of the yard so that the parents can feed the chick undisturbed.
I was almost whisking him off to Secret World on the Friday though. I didn’t see the adult birds for several hours and they have disappeared for similar periods in the interim. Also junior spent a while refusing food but this appears to be natural (if he’s full, I suppose).
So, fingers crossed for the next few days. After this much attachment already, woe betide any cat that does show its whiskers. It’ll get worse than the antifreeze that Clevedon has witnessed recently.
A propos of which I’m staggered that PETA has offered £1,000 to catch the poisoner. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that stands for. Very ethical I’m sure to support a manufactured butcher of native wildlife. That’s like Amnesty International paying to track down Gaddafi’s killers. Or Saddam Hussein’s.
Actually AI have come close by condemning both deaths. No wonder they’re as toothless as the environmental movement, on whom at the Arnolfini this evening many self-laudatory epithets will be heaped, I daresay.