MODS - COULD THIS BE MOVED TO CAT LOUNGE. I POSTED IT IN THE WRONG PLACE!! THX!
Woodpeckers seem to be my "thing" these days. Walking down the driveway at my mom's house this morning, I saw something fluttering in the grass. It was an injured bird and when I moved closer... of course it panicked and started flapping madly to get away from me and screaming.
I wasn't sure, but I looked like pictures I had seen of a Northern Flicker. We have A LOT of them around here; I can hear them but have never SEEN one.
Went and got a fleece baby blanket and a small box, punched some holes in the box and set about the task of capturing this poor baby.
He couldn't go far and stopped screaming and struggling once I was able to toss the blanket over him.
Popped him in the box, taped it shut and headed for a local nature center about 40 min. away.
BIG accident on the freeway so I had to take the back roads, which I don't know all that well and in driving rain no less.
Anyway - got there and they confirmed it was a N. Flicker with a likely spine injury from either flying into a window or a moving car.
They said they have rehabbed birds with this kind of injury and I don't think he was out there very long. He seemed very, uh..... robust in his protests. I just couldn't let him die out there on the lawn in the punishing heat and humidity or get torn to bits by a predator.
Even if they couldn't save him and needed to put him down, some things are WORSE than euthanasia.
They were very nice; they gave me a case number and told me I could track his/her progress and that if it was well enough to go back into the wild, they would release it in the area where I found it. I would LOVE to be there for that or release it myself. We shall see. I also gave them a small donation for their efforts.
So - some healing vibes for my little flicker friend would be lovely!!!
This is what they look and sound like:
http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/181...n_Flicker.aspx
Woodpeckers seem to be my "thing" these days. Walking down the driveway at my mom's house this morning, I saw something fluttering in the grass. It was an injured bird and when I moved closer... of course it panicked and started flapping madly to get away from me and screaming.
I wasn't sure, but I looked like pictures I had seen of a Northern Flicker. We have A LOT of them around here; I can hear them but have never SEEN one.
Went and got a fleece baby blanket and a small box, punched some holes in the box and set about the task of capturing this poor baby.
He couldn't go far and stopped screaming and struggling once I was able to toss the blanket over him.
Popped him in the box, taped it shut and headed for a local nature center about 40 min. away.
BIG accident on the freeway so I had to take the back roads, which I don't know all that well and in driving rain no less.
Anyway - got there and they confirmed it was a N. Flicker with a likely spine injury from either flying into a window or a moving car.
They said they have rehabbed birds with this kind of injury and I don't think he was out there very long. He seemed very, uh..... robust in his protests. I just couldn't let him die out there on the lawn in the punishing heat and humidity or get torn to bits by a predator.
Even if they couldn't save him and needed to put him down, some things are WORSE than euthanasia.
They were very nice; they gave me a case number and told me I could track his/her progress and that if it was well enough to go back into the wild, they would release it in the area where I found it. I would LOVE to be there for that or release it myself. We shall see. I also gave them a small donation for their efforts.
So - some healing vibes for my little flicker friend would be lovely!!!
This is what they look and sound like:
http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/181...n_Flicker.aspx
